An Alternate Course
by MJ3030
Summary: This story takes place during the Namek saga, as Goku and Frieza are engaged in battle. Goku has transformed into a super saiyan and has sent Gohan to fetch Bulma and escape the planet with Piccolo. Up until now, things have proceeded in the way that we are all familiar. But, a few things are about to change which will completely alter the direction of the story.
1. Chapter 1

**Ch.1**

'Why are Gohan and the others still here? They should have been off the planet by now!' Goku thought to himself as he continued his battle with Frieza. He had told his son to get the others and leave the planet a long time ago. So why was it that he could clearly sense that they were all still on the planet, when he had been very clear that they were to leave?

 **…**

Gohan looked round for any sign of Bulma. He'd left Piccolo at the ship, and had walked out on his mom and Master Roshi, who were pressing him for information over the computer. Knowing he didn't have much time, he tried his best to try and locate Bulma's energy. The ground was quivering beneath him, hills toppling and waters raging as the planet headed towards an eventual explosion. Hoping she wasn't hurt, Gohan flew downwards towards a rock that was falling and spotted Bulma beneath it. Acting fast, he quickly grabbed her before the rock landed right where she'd previously stood. Bulma opened her eyes and looked up at Gohan who was holding her in the air.

"Oh Gohan! Thank goodness! I was so afraid! How could you guys leave me behind like that! What were you thinking! And where's Krillin? It looks like this planet is going to blow!" Gohan didn't let Bulma's outburst get under his skin.

"I don't have time to explain Bulma. Krillin didn't make it…But we have to get back to the ship, and fast." Bulma's eyes widened in fear as she heard this. She gulped nervously as she looked down below. A few minutes later, she smiled excitedly.

"Look Gohan! It's the ship! And it looks like it's in good shape!" Gohan looked up and spotted the ship Bulma was talking about. He gripped Bulma a little tighter as he prepared to speed up, when suddenly, an explosion beside him startled him. A large flow of lava shot up from the ground, and with Bulma in his arms, Gohan couldn't dodge in time. Dropping Bulma on a rock, Gohan tried to avoid the lava and felt something hard hit his head. Within seconds, he'd lost consciousness.

A nearby cliff began to crumble and fall from the force of the explosion. Bulma watched in horror as the rock began to fly and fall right where Gohan hovered. She turned away as the boy became consumed in the rubble.

"Gohan!" Bulma looked over to where Gohan lay. A giant boulder sat on top of him, pinning him to the side of the cliff, leaving him unable to move. Gohan's head was bleeding and it was obvious that he was quite seriously wounded by the impact.

'Oh no. I don't have the strength to lift this rock' Gohan thought to himself. With all the fighting he'd done and now this, Gohan had a sinking feeling in his gut. His head hurt and he felt dizzy. His body was pinned, and he knew several of his ribs were broken. There was no way Bulma would be able to get him out. Slowly, the reality of his situation hit Gohan with sudden clarity. He had to convince her to take off without him. It was the only way to save Piccolo, so they could revive the others.

"Bulma, I'm stuck. You're going to have to go on without me." Bulma began to cry and shake her head.

"Gohan I can't! I can't leave you here. The planet's going to blow!" Bulma rushed over and tried to lift the rock, but it was no use. It was way too heavy for her.

"Bulma…listen to me." Bulma stopped trying to lift the rock and looked at Gohan, frightened.

"You need to get Piccolo to safety. It's the only way we can revive everyone. If you do that, you can revive me with the dragonballs. But if you don't save Piccolo Bulma, everyone will be lost. Do you understand?" Bulma continued to cry as she nodded. She knew that Gohan was right. But she didn't know if she could leave, knowing the child was stuck on a planet that was going to explode. Her guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders.

"Don't worry about me Bulma. There isn't much time. You have to go now. Hurry." Bulma nodded, and bent down to give Gohan a hug. Before she could change her mind, she ran over to the ship and closed the door. As she entered the ship, she gave Piccolo a petrified glance, before hurrying over to the controls. Shaking her head, she tried to concentrate as she quickly set the destination to earth, and the space ship began to take off. Gohan watched with a sigh of relief. Bulma and Piccolo were safe.

 **…**

Bulma sobbed as the spaceship took off, leaving Namek behind. No matter how strong, or how brave Gohan was, she couldn't believe the child was left to die, alone, on a planet that was going to explode. Closing her eyes, Bulma tried to rid herself of the mental image of Gohan pinned and helpless, wishing more than anything that she could have done more to help. What was supposed to be a fun adventure finding the dragonballs had turned out to be a frightening, dangerous nightmare that had taken the lives of Krillin, and now Gohan. Two days…that's how long she had until they arrived on earth. How was she going to tell Chichi?

 **…**

King Kai surveyed the situation on Namek in horror. Bulma and Piccolo had made it safely off of Namek, but Gohan remained pinned under a large boulder, heavily injured, and Goku remained in battle with Frieza. Time was running out, and he couldn't bear the thought of both saiyans dying along with the planet.

'Should I tell him about Gohan?' King Kai wondered. 'Maybe he'll get angry enough to finish Frieza off for good?' King Kai decided it was worth a shot.

'Goku, can you hear me?' King Kai tried.

'Yes.' Goku replied as he matched Frieza blow for blow.

'Bulma and Piccolo have made it off the planet, and are headed for earth. Gohan… wasn't able to go with them.' King Kai waited a beat for Goku to absorb this information.

'What do you mean?' Goku tried not to panic as he dodged a blast from Frieza.

'Gohan was bringing Bulma back to the ship when the ground erupted close by. Gohan was hit by a large boulder and got pinned beneath it. His energy was tapped out, and he couldn't get himself out. He's still there now. '

Goku drove his fist into Frieza's face as panic seized him. 'Give me a sec King Kai'. Goku continued to fight as he struggled to come up with a plan.

'Goku, because Piccolo is safe, we can use the earth's dragonballs, should you need them.' King Kai offered.

'Right! I almost forgot about that!' Goku answered.

'Now just wait Goku, I have an idea. Let me talk to Kami real quick and see if it will work.' Goku didn't respond as Frieza shot a blast his way. A few moments later, Goku heard King Kai again.

'Goku, I've got a plan. We're going to use the earth's dragonballs to revive all those killed by Frieza on Namek. This way we can save the Namekian's. When this happens, Guru should be revived, and there will be one more wish with Namek's dragon. We will use this wish to wish everyone back to earth, except Frieza.' King Kai waited for Goku's reply.

'That's incredible King Kai! But hurry, we don't have much time.' Goku replied as he shot a blast in his opponent's direction.

'Alright, Kami's got the dragonballs ready on earth. Let's hope this works…'

'Wait! One second King Kai! I need you to change the second wish. I need you to wish everyone except Frieza and me off the planet.' King Kai froze in horror.

'Goku I can't! The planet's going to blow! Go back to earth, we'll come up with a plan!'

'No King Kai. We both know that it will just come back to this anyway. I need to finish this here and now.'

'Goku I'd be signing your death warrant!' King Kai began to tremble.

'Search your feelings King Kai. You know this is the right thing to do.' Hating that his pupil was right, King Kai searched Namek to see if the first wish had been fulfilled. He could sense the Namekian's had returned to the planet, but had a hard time locating Guru.

'Come on Guru where are you?' As he concentrated harder, he finally located the elder Namek, who seemed to have been revived as well. Taking a deep breath, he began to communicate with Guru, sharing with him their plan.

 **…**

Gohan pushed against the rock once more, determined to get himself free.

'I have to get off this planet!' He thought to himself. Another blast sounded beside him, and Gohan felt the rock above him shift. Taking advantage, Gohan pushed and managed to wiggle free. Panting, he pulled himself out and hurried away from the falling rock. Gohan wiped the blood and sweat off his brow and tried to fly, but found that he was quite dizzy and too weak to get off the ground.

'Have to concentrate.' He thought desperately. Hurrying on foot, Gohan looked round. 'There has to be saiyan ships around here. With Vegeta and the Ginyu force, there should be at least 6 of them on this planet. Gohan stumbled as he hurried around falling rock. He felt like he had walked for hours when he spotted a white ship in the distance.

'I found it!' Gohan tried to run, fighting the dizziness and the aches and pains as he kept the ship in his sights. He was so relieved when he finally reached the ship. Pushing a button near the door, he smiled as the door opened and he quickly crawled in.

'Okay, now how do I get this thing to earth?' He wondered. There were several buttons. Panicking, Gohan pressed a few and heard the ship start up.

'Well, I don't know where I'm going, but at least it's off this planet.' the boy thought to himself as the ship took off and he let the blackness take over once again.

 **…**

King Kai watched as the young Namekian made the wish to bring everyone on the planet back to earth. He then searched the planet Earth for the Namekians and was pleased to see that they had arrived safely. However, he noticed that no earthlings had made it to earth despite the wish. Panicked, he began to search for them.

'Bulma and Piccolo are in space! I almost forgot that they left the planet before the wish was made. At least they are safe. Now, where is Gohan?' King Kai searched and searched for the young saiyan's ki.

'He was stuck on Namek! And critically injured. Why was he not brought back to earth with the wish?' As King Kai searched, he detected a faint energy signal, indicating that someone was flying away from Namek.

'It's Gohan! He's in a ship! But he's not headed for earth. How can this be?' King Kai worried about the young saiyan. His best guess was that Gohan had somehow been freed, and hopped into a ship to escape the planet before it blew up. He must of somehow gotten off the planet before the wish was made! But where was he headed? And what if he landed on an unfriendly planet? He was in no condition to defend himself!

'Goku, this is King Kai, can you hear me?'

'I hear you King Kai. The wishes, did they work?'

'In part Goku. All the Namekian's have made it to earth safely. Bulma and Piccolo are in space, headed towards Earth. As you know, they made it off the planet before the wishes were made.'

'That's great. Now I can fight Frieza with my full concentration, knowing that everyone is safe.' Goku smiled to himself.

'Not quite Goku. Gohan didn't make it to earth.'

'What? What do you mean he didn't make it to earth?' Distracted, Goku took a punch to the face and plummeted towards the ground. He quickly got up and resumed the fight.

'It seems that Gohan must have gotten free from the boulder. My guess is that he managed to get to one of the saiyan ships. He was off the planet before the wishes were made.' Goku growled in frustration.

'So he's headed to earth then?'

'No Goku. He's headed in the opposite direction. I don't know where he is headed. And in his condition, he won't be able to defend himself against a threat. I'm sorry.'

Goku felt rage building up inside of him as he thought of his young son, alone in space and injured. How could this have happened? They had a plan…He had to save his son.

"ENOUGH!" He shouted as Frieza came forward to attack. Goku powered up, letting his rage take hold, just as he had when he'd transformed.

"No! How could he be channeling more energy?" Frieza muttered. Shocked, Frieza didn't see the first blow as the enraged saiyan furiously attacked. Frieza struggled to get free, finally managing to put some distance between them.

"This will stop him." He said as he created two discs. "Take that!" He shouted as he sent the discs flying towards the saiyan. Goku looked at the discs and came up with a plan. He'd never imagined something so horrible for an opponent before, but he knew what he had to do to get to Gohan in time.

Goku watched as the discs followed his every move. Flying upwards, he turned and dived towards Frieza, the discs following him.

"Oh please, what an obvious move. You think you're going to get those discs to slice me in half? No way!" Frieza smiled as Goku approached. Just then, Goku disappeared, reappearing further away. He quickly shot a blast towards Frieza, as the discs continued to move forward. Frieza's grin faded as he realized what the saiyan had done. Unable to move in time, Frieza felt the discs slice his sides, removing his arms at the shoulder.

"NO!" Frieza shouted as pain shot through his body. Goku watched, knowing this was his chance. He immediately phased out and re-appeared by the discs. He almost couldn't believe he was going to execute this next move, but he couldn't let his son wait any longer. Focusing on all the innocent people Frieza had killed, Goku headed towards Frieza and used the afterimage technique. Frieza was still too shocked at the loss of his arms to notice the discs heading in his direction. Goku closed his eyes as the first, and then the second disc sliced the almighty Frieza in half.

"My own attack." Frieza muttered in shock as he fell to the ground. Goku took one last horrified look at his opponent, and shook his head sadly. 'It didn't have to be this way.' He thought to himself as he turned away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ch.2**

Goku knew he didn't have a moment to spare. He began to search for a ship in a hurry, knowing it would be a narrow escape. He saw Frieza's ship first, and was dismayed to see how damaged it was. Landing on top of it, he figured he'd try his luck anyway.

As he entered the ship, he tried several rooms before he managed to find the control room. He looked at all at the dials, and prayed that the ship was still in functioning order.

"Come on baby, please work!" Goku began to press buttons hoping to get the ship running. All the lights began to turn on, but nothing else happened.

"Work you sorry piece of junk!" Goku shouted angrily. He felt the ship start to sink, and quickly changed his tune.

"No, wait. I take that back. You're not a piece of junk." Goku felt the ship begin to fall, and knew he couldn't get it working in time. He quickly escaped out of the top of the ship, before it began to free fall into a pool of lava. Looking around, he immediately saw a second ship not far off. Wasting no time, he quickly flew over and got into it, pressing a few buttons, and hoping to get it started. He sighed in relief as the ship took off upwards, away from the planet.

'I did it.' He thought as he saw the deep depths of space ahead of him.

'King…Kai. Can you…hear me?' Goku could feel his energy draining fast. He was quite injured from the battle with Frieza, and he could feel himself fading into unconsciousness.

'Goku. I can hear you. It seems that Gohan is approaching a planet called Yardrat. Where are you?' Goku looked at the controls and sighed. His ship had been programmed for that exact location. Maybe they were synched? Relieved, he allowed sleep to take over.

'Goku?'

 **…**

King Kai tried again to connect with Goku when suddenly, he felt a shocking energy wave. Namek had exploded. Had Goku made it off the planet?

"King Kai, what's happening down there?" Yamcha asked.

"Namek has exploded." King Kai replied. Yamcha, Tien and Chiaotzu stared back in horror.

In a panic, King Kai searched space, looking for the saiyan. He almost fell over in relief when he sensed him in a space ship, headed in the same direction as Gohan. It was a good thing he knew that Gohan was headed that way, or otherwise he'd have never have thought to look there.

"Well, at least they seem to be going the same way." King Kai muttered. He turned towards the other three and let his shoulders drop. "Frieza has been destroyed, and everyone got off the planet safely. I'm getting too old for this." The three warriors broke out in cheers as King Kai let a small smile cross his features.

 **…**

Gohan was out cold, and didn't hear the ship warn him of his approach to the planet Yardrat. He also didn't feel the impact as the saiyan ship hit the ground hard, onto the alien planet.

The citizens of Yardrat approached the ship uneasily. When no one got out, they examined the ship until they found the button to open the door. A few brave Yardratians peered anxiously at the young newcomer in the ship. It was obvious that he was in need of medical assistance. After a heated debate, they took the young boy out of the ship, and brought him to their main headquarters.

….

An hour later, another crash could be heard some distance away. The same group that had appeared at the first landing headed over to see what had caused the second disturbance. Much to their surprise, a second ship had arrived on their planet. This time, the door opened on its own, and the inhabitants stood fearfully watching as a man with spiky blonde hair got out. This man was just as injured as the boy, and only managed a quick look around and a few words in an unrecognizable language, before falling to the ground, unconscious. His hair turned black as he fell. Noting his appearance was similar to the boy's, it was decided that he would be brought back to headquarters as well.

 **…**

"There." Dende said as he finished healing Piccolo. He gave the other Namekian a small smile as Piccolo opened his eyes and looked around.

"Where am I?" He asked in confusion.

"We are on earth." Dende replied. Piccolo stared at Dende in shock.

"What? How can that be?" Piccolo asked. Bulma approached Piccolo nervously, ready to answer his question.

"You came here with me. Gohan said that Krillin didn't make it…he was bringing me to the ship, when an explosion pinned him under a rock. He told me I had to get you here safe, so everyone could be wished back. The planet was going to explode, so… I left with you, and we arrived this morning." Bulma wiped a few tears from her eyes, before she continued. "When we got here, Mr. Popo, that genie guy with the carpet came to find us, and told us the Namekian's were here as well and that they had healing powers. He brought us to them. And Dende here healed you, and now here we are."

Dende watched as Piccolo tried to absorb this information.

"But wait, what about Goku and Gohan? And Frieza? Where are they? Did Goku win the fight?" Neither Dende nor Bulma had an answer, and silence rang out for a few moments before a quiet voice spoke from further away.

"We were revived using the earth's dragonballs. Once this happened, Porunga was able to grant one last wish on Namek. That wish was used to wish everyone on Namek except for Goku and Frieza, to the planet earth. The one they call Goku bravely remained behind, to finish what he had started." Guru said. Piccolo, Dende and Bulma turned towards Guru and walked over.

"Do you know who won Guru?" Dende asked.

"I'm afraid not my son. I am no longer able to sense what is going on on Namek." The elder replied calmly. "And by now, I'm sure the planet is no more." At this, all the Namekian's gasped in horror.

"That doesn't explain why Gohan isn't here." Piccolo stated.

"I can answer that." A voice said from above. Piccolo recognized it as King Kai's voice.

"King Kai, what's going on! Is the fight over?" He asked.

"The fight is over Piccolo. Goku was able to successfully defeat Frieza." All the Namekian's began to cheer at this. Bulma smiled and fell to the ground in relief.

"Unfortunately, both Gohan and Goku barely made it off of Namek alive. They both found ships that took them to an alien planet. They were in poor condition when I last connected with them. I haven't been able to detect them in some time now. But I will keep trying."

Piccolo frowned. He hoped that the two saiyan's were alright. An alien planet could mean friends, or foes. And if they were in bad shape…

 **…**

Goku opened his eyes slowly. His body was painfully sore, and he felt quite groggy. He slowly became aware of his surroundings, but he couldn't remember how he had gotten to this strange place. What happened? It took several minutes before he remembered his fight with Frieza, his narrow escape, and his son's predicament.

"Gohan?" Goku muttered. Suddenly, an alien-like creature entered the room. It had a big round head with no hair, and pink skin. It's face was wrinkly and it had pointy ears. It wore an unusual outfit; a beige ruffled collar and a white long-sleeve shirt, beneath minimal black armour that only covered one shoulder. The pants were baggy and maroon, and puffed out at the bottom.

"I need to find my son. Can you help me?" Goku asked.

"You are quite injured sir. Why don't you start by telling me your name." The creature responded in a high-pitched, squeaky voice. Goku sighed. His head was starting to throb.

"My name is Goku. And my son Gohan might be in danger. I have to find him." Goku struggled to sit up straight, but the weakness caused him to fall back. This creature was right, he wasn't well enough to move.

"Can you describe your son to me sir?" Goku thought it an odd question, but obliged.

"He's got short black hair. He's wearing saiyan armour with a blue body suit underneath. He's only 5 years old. Please, I have to make sure he's okay." Goku tried yet again to sit up, but couldn't do it.

"Rest sir. We had another creature land on our planet before you. It sounds like your son, though I can't be sure. He was in critical condition, just as you were. He hasn't awoken yet. When you are well enough, I will take you to him." Goku relaxed at this. It had to be Gohan, it just had to be.

"Can you heal him? Will he be alright?" Goku asked concerned.

"We're not sure. Let's wait and see. Rest now." Goku felt worried but couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. Suddenly, all he could see was darkness.

…

Gohan could feel his body before he opened his eyes. His head hurt the most, but his chest hurt pretty badly too. He tried to move his arms, but was unable to do so. Deciding to take it slow, he started to concentrate on just opening his eyes. Slowly but surely, they opened, and he felt blinded by a bright light as he woke up. Gohan began to look around the room. Immediately, he noticed that he was in some kind of hospital bed, surrounded by machines. He was wearing a white long-sleeve shirt with what felt like baggy pants. Beside him, a sleeping Goku sat in a chair, looking pale and wounded, and sporting the same shirt. Gohan started to cry as he felt waves of relief wash over him over his dad's safety. At this, Goku stirred.

Goku opened his eyes, and saw Gohan staring tearfully back at him.

"Gohan! You're awake. How are you feeling son?" Goku asked. He'd been so worried. As soon as he'd been able to sit up, he'd demanded to be by his son's side. He didn't even have the strength to get out of the chair he currently sat in, but he felt better watching his son sleep and knowing that for now, he was safe.

"I…I can't move. My head and chest really hurt. But I'm okay. What about you dad?" Gohan saw that his dad was struggling. He seemed to be in pain, and quite drained of energy.

"I'm fine kiddo. Nothing a little rest won't fix." Goku slowly raised his arm, wincing as he did. He gently ruffled his son's hair, making sure not to shake his head too much and cause further damage. 'The doc' as he'd come to call the creature that had been coming to speak to him, had informed him that his son had a pretty bad head injury.

"Dad…did you beat Frieza?" Goku frowned and looked away. Had he defeated Frieza? Yes. But he knew he had a lot of work to do if he was to gain control of the super saiyan transformation. He had almost lost himself during that battle. It frightened him.

"Yes." Goku offered no other comment. Gohan closed his eyes in relief.

"Thank goodness. I knew you could do it dad. You were incredible." Goku winced at his son's praise. He wouldn't verbalize how he felt about what had transpired on Namek. But it didn't matter, because suddenly, he could hear his son's soft breathing, indicating that he had fallen asleep yet again. Goku rested his head back, glad that he had no more questions to answer. He had to continue to rest so he could get stronger.

…

Goku opened his eyes as a hand rested on his shoulder. He looked up at Shelt, or 'the doc' who had been caring for him and Gohan since their arrival.

"Sir, I think you should come and rest in bed for a while. We have moved you to the room next door to your son. You will hear him if he calls." Goku looked over at Gohan and nodded. He wasn't feeling fully rested with these chair naps and he supposed Gohan would be alright if he was right next door.

"Okay." Goku stood up slowly, aided by Shelt.

"Is Gohan alright? He sure has been sleeping for a long while." Goku asked concerned.

"Your son suffered a great many injuries." Shelt replied.

"I guess he's just always recovered so fast." Goku muttered.

"Children are built differently than adults. In some cases, they heal quicker. But in other cases, they are hit harder by certain illnesses and injuries. I can tell your son is quite mature by the way he has spoken during his periods of wakefulness. But the fact is, he is a child, and his injuries have affected him greatly." Shelt began to escort Goku out of the room as Goku felt guilt begin to weigh down on him.

"You're right. He's just a child. And already he has done and seen so much. Maybe too much." Goku answered. He thought about Gohan's experience on Namek. Shelt was right, he was just a child. But he had been treated like anything but, just as he had when he was little.

"Goku, I noticed the two of you landed here in separate space ships. You didn't seem to know if your son had landed here or not. Why travel apart?" Shelt asked as he helped Goku into his room.

"The planet we were on was going to explode. Gohan escaped in a ship, but he probably didn't know how to work it. The ship left the planet in time. When I found a ship, I programmed it the best I could, but I wasn't familiar with the ship either. I believe the ships belonged to the Ginyu force, and if I had to guess, I'd say that they always travelled together. So somehow, the ships synched destinations." Goku replied as he slowly got into bed.

"That must have been frightening for you. Knowing your son was in a ship headed to an unknown destination." Shelt replied as he began to fetch blankets and pillows. Goku closed his eyes.

"I'm always worried about Gohan. But yes, you're right." Shelt covered the saiyan in blankets.

"Goku, before you drift off, I have a suggestion to make." Goku opened his eyes in curiosity.

"Go ahead." He encouraged.

"On our planet, we are trained in a variety of techniques. We are not fighters, far from it. Our population is skilled in evasion more so than fighting. We are peaceful people. But there is one technique that I think would be of great benefit to you. Once you mastered it, you would never have to go looking for your son again. Once you locked onto his energy, you could be by his side in an instant, no matter where he is." Goku sat up on his elbows. This had piqued his interest.

"Sir, I would love to learn such a technique!" He replied enthusiastically. Shelt chuckled.

"Well then, it is settled. It will take time for us to prepare a ship for the two of you in any case. When you are healed, one of our elders and myself will teach you the technique. And your son as well, if you wish it. Now get some rest." Shelt left the room as Goku laid back down. Goku felt an immense relief as he closed his eyes. They were lucky to have landed on Yardrat, of that he was certain.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch.3**

Gohan opened his eyes and looked around. He was still in the same room, wearing the same clothes. He looked beside him, expecting to see his dad, and panicked a little when he saw that he was alone. Using his senses, he realized that his dad was in the next room, so he relaxed and slowly sat up in bed.

For a moment, he just sat there and assessed his injuries. His head was sore, and he was a little dizzy, but nothing too bad. His chest hurt, but it was much better than the last time he had woken up. The rest of his body ached a bit and he felt quite weak, but he didn't sense that he had any other serious injuries.

Gohan began to think about his experience on Namek. So much had happened, and it was going to take some time for him to even process it all. It was almost like a dream; an incredibly long and detailed dream and it was coming back to him in bits and pieces. Suddenly, he felt concern over Piccolo and Bulma. Had they made it back to earth? Were they safe? Then he began to feel sadness over Krillin, who had died at the hands of Frieza. As the waves of sadness coursed through him, he then began to think about his mother. She must be so worried. He knew that they'd left her alone on earth, and he felt a bit guilty about that. He hoped that no one had told her that the planet had blown up. She would be hysterical.

"Gohan, you're awake." Gohan looked up as the doctor entered the room. He couldn't remember the guy's name at the moment, but he seemed nice whenever he was around, and his dad seemed to trust him. Shelt walked over and smiled kindly at Gohan.

"How do you feel?" Gohan, who was still thinking about what happened on Namek, nodded distractedly.

"I'm alright." Shelt looked down in concern. He turned and grabbed a chair, sitting beside the child's bed.

"Something is bothering you." Shelt replied. Gohan didn't deny it.

"My dad and I, we were on a planet called Namek. Lot's of people died there…" Gohan answered. He was now thinking about Dende, Guru, and all the Namekian's that had perished at the hands of Frieza.

"Yes, your father told me a little about your time there. But it seems the two of you have not had a chance to discuss it." Shelt answered. "Two wishes were made with the dragonballs I believe you call them? The Namekian's were revived and transported to earth. They are safe." Gohan looked up in surprise.

"Really? They were revived? That's great!" Gohan smiled as he thought about Guru and Dende. He was so glad their lives could be restored.

"I will let your father tell you the rest. But I wanted to put your mind at ease. How do you really feel?" Shelt asked.

"Better. Sore and weak mostly. But not as bad as before." Shelt nodded as he began to take a look at Gohan's injuries.

"Everything seems to be healing nicely. Your memory doesn't seem to have been affected by the head injury. Have you noticed anything off since you've woken up?" Gohan thought about that for a moment.

"No, not really. I'm a bit dizzy and I have a headache that doesn't seem to go away. But it's not so bad." Shelt nodded.

"You might have that for a while. Let me know if it gets worse. I want you to take it easy for a while Gohan. You are still quite injured and I want to make sure you don't exacerbate your condition. Do you understand?" Gohan nodded.

"Yes sir. How's my dad doing?" Shelt smiled as he sat back down beside Gohan's bed.

"He's coming along, healing more and more everyday. And he asks about you every time he wakes. It seems you've both been on opposite sleep/wake cycles these last few days. I'm sure that will change very soon." Shelt got up and headed for the door.

"Wait? Mr. Shelt? Can I ask you something?" Shelt turned around and gave Gohan a smile.

"Sure Gohan, what is it?"

"Well sir, I was just wondering why you're the only one who talks to me. I mean, I've noticed others coming in to do things but they won't talk to me." Shelt chuckled.

"Well Gohan, very few of us on this planet can speak your native tongue. We speak a very different language here." Gohan nodded as he understood.

"Oh. That makes sense."

"Yes. Now get some rest, you'll need it to build up your strength." Shelt walked out and closed the door behind him. Nodding, Gohan laid back down in bed, and closed his eyes.

...

Shelt sat in the boardroom with the other members of the council as he waited for the meeting to start. He knew the meeting was about the newcomers, and everyone was waiting to hear if they could be trusted as friends or not.

"Silence." Celica, the council leader, said loudly as the group began to settle into their seats. "Let's get started. I know we are all anxious to hear Dr. Shelt's report on the newcomers." The other members of the council nodded as their gazes turned towards the doctor.

"Well, I've spent almost two weeks now caring for the two newcomers who crash landed here. Their names are Goku and Gohan, and they are father and son. They are originally from the planet earth. Their conditions were critical upon arrival, but they both seem to be making excellent recoveries." Shelt sat back as he awaited the flurry of questions.

"Why did they come here?" The man on his right, Taeer, asked concerned.

"They were trying to escape the planet Namek, which was about to explode. They were not familiar with the ships they found, and wound up here quite by accident it seems." Shelt watched as the other council members took a minute to digest this.

"What do they intend to do when they are healed?" Jory asked from the other side of the table.

"Well, according to Goku, his intention was to take his son home. However, I suggested that he remain here for a bit longer. When he and his son left Namek, they were separated, and Goku was not aware of his son's whereabouts or whether or not he was safe. I offered to teach him the instant transmission technique, so he could avoid such a situation in the future." Shelt watched as his fellow councilmen began to chatter amongst themselves.

"Silence." Celica called again. "Shelt, are you sure these newcomers can be trusted to such a degree?" Shelt smiled at Celica and nodded.

"I am certain. They are very kind and compassionate beings. They may be fighters, but they are good-natured. They are not aggressive in the slightest." Celica nodded as the chatter rose again.

"Shelt, as always, I trust your judgement implicitly. Does anyone else have any questions?" Celica asked. All the other council members looked at each other, but no one came forward.

"Very well then. We shall continue to work on the ships, as we decided to do after the newcomers arrived. When they are healed, Shelt will teach them the instant transmission technique, and then we will say our farewells. Meeting adjourned." Celica looked around and was glad that no one had any objections to his ruling. All in all, that had gone pretty well.

...

Gohan was walking on Namek, searching for Krillin and Dende. It was quiet, so quiet, and he felt a panic in his heart, like he had no time to spare. Suddenly, he saw Frieza, standing behind two bodies: Krillin and Dende.

"Nooooo!" Gohan cried in horror. The image then began to fade, and Gohan felt two hands trying to rouse him.

"Wake-up son! It's okay, it's just a dream." Gohan opened his eyes and saw his dad's staring back at him. He was drenched in sweat, and his head was throbbing. He started to feel nauseous, and turned his head just in time to be sick over the side of the bed. Goku panicked, having never seen his son so ill.

"Shelt!" he called out. He got up as quickly as his sore body would allow and grabbed a cloth from the sink, rinsing it in cool water like he'd seen Chichi do when Gohan was little. He put the cloth to Gohan's head, as Gohan panted, leaning over the bed.

"I'm…sorry dad." Gohan tried to get up but Goku held firm.

"You don't have to apologize Gohan. That's what I'm here for. Do you still feel sick?"

"No, I think I'm okay now." Gohan answered, embarrassed.

"Okay. You're going to lie back down slowly, okay?" Gohan nodded and slowly lied down, aided by Goku.

"Where did Shelt go?" Goku asked in frustration. Shelt was usually always a quick call away.

"Listen, I'm just going to get this cleaned up okay. Take it easy." Goku said as he looked around for a towel to wipe up the mess.

"I'm sorry dad." Gohan muttered meekly. Goku grabbed Gohan's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Don't worry about it Gohan. Just rest." Gohan closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, trying to ease the throbbing pain. Just as Goku started cleaning up, Shelt walked in in a rush.

"I'm sorry Goku, I was at a council meeting. Is everything alright?" Shelt quickly noted the mess and Gohan's panting.

"He was having a nightmare. When he woke up, he was sick. His head's hurting pretty bad too." Goku stood up stiffly and threw the soiled towel into the trash. He looked over at Gohan in concern.

"The nightmare combined with the head injury would cause that. Sudden movements should be avoided for a while. He should be alright once he gets some rest, but I will keep an eye on him just in case." Shelt walked over to Gohan and spoke in a low voice.

"Gohan, can you tell me how bad the pain is?"

"It's bad." Gohan answered without opening his eyes.

"Worse than before?" Shelt questioned as he he pushed a few buttons on the machine beside him.

"Much worse." Gohan answered.

"And your stomach? Is it still upset?" Shelt asked as he prepared to hook Gohan up to the machine.

"No. Just my head." Gohan answered. Goku watched helplessly, holding tightly onto the edge of Gohan's bed.

"Okay. I'm going to give you some medicine now to help with the pain. You should start to feel it in a couple of minutes." As the doctor took out a needle, Goku gasped and began to take a few steps back.

'Keep it together for Gohan.' He thought to himself as he fought not to panic. Shelt noticed this and pointed to a chair across the room.

"Why don't you sit down over there Goku. This will only take a minute." Goku nodded and headed towards the chair. Shelt pulled a curtain around the bed.

"I'm just going to change your bedding and help you into some dry clothes. Then we'll get you some medicine for your head. Okay Gohan?"

"Okay" Gohan answered meekly. Goku stared at the curtain impatiently.

"There, all done. You'll feel better soon Gohan." Shelt opened the curtain, took one last look at the monitor and walked over to Goku.

"Now, we both know that you need to rest, but I'm assuming that after this episode, you're going to want to sleep in here tonight, am I right?" Shelt smiled knowingly at Goku, who nodded.

"Alright. But at least let me find a more suitable chair for you to rest in." Shelt exited the room, leaving Goku to walk back over to his son.

"I'm sorry for all the horrors you've had to witness in your life son." He whispered. Never before had he considered just how much his son could be affected by the battles they'd had to face. He was starting to realize that he hadn't protected his son as much as he probably should have. Maybe Chichi had been right all along…


	4. Chapter 4

**Ch.4**

Back on earth, Bulma, Piccolo, Master Roshi and Vegeta stayed at Capsule Corp. So much had happened, and now they were trying to figure out the best plan for the dragonballs. Vegeta stood off to the side, pretending not to pay attention to their plans, but mildly interested all the same. The Namekian's stood below, enjoying snacks and playing mini golf, quite content to wait until it was time to return to their own planet.

"I still think we should wish Goku and Gohan back to earth first." Master Roshi stated.

"We can't wish them both back at the same time! We've been over this." Bulma replied.

"And if we wish for one back sooner than the other, we could be leaving the other in danger." Piccolo answered.

"Then what do we do? Krillin, Tien, Chiaotzu and Yamcha still need to be wished back as well." Master Roshi sighed.

"Krillin and Chiaotzu can't be wished back with our dragon." Piccolo stated. At this, everyone was silent.

"Wait, we have a yard full of Namekian's Piccolo! And didn't someone say they could make three wishes instead of one?" Bulma jumped up excitedly. Vegeta turned towards her in interest at this.

"You're right. That means, in a little less than a year's time, we could either revive one and bring Goku and Gohan back, or revive three and do that the second time around." Master Roshi answered.

"We have to bring Goku and Gohan home first. Who knows what kind of situation they may be in out there." Piccolo said.

"Not to mention, Chichi will kill us if we don't." Master Roshi answered. All three cringed as they thought of the young mother who had been in a state of rage and despair since hearing the news that her husband and child were hurt on some unknown planet.

"Then it's decided. But who do we revive first?" Bulma asked.

"We could revive Krillin. That way, the three with King Kai can maximize their training, and come home together." Master Roshi suggested.

"Alright. When the year is up, that's what we'll do!" Bulma answered.

"I couldn't help overhearing your plans." Elder Moori said from the doorway. Now that Guru had passed on, Moori had become elder of the group.

"Oh, ya is that okay?" Bulma asked.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know that Namek's dragonballs can be reused in six months time. You don't have to wait a full year." He stated simply.

"What! No way!" Bulma jumped up and cheered excitedly.

"Yes. So you should be able to make all your wishes within a year's time. And then, if you don't mind, we'd like to use the dragonballs to go to our new home."

"Of course!" Bulma answered.

"Good good." Elder Moori smiled as he returned downstairs to his people. Everyone at the table breathed a sign of relief as they now had a plan to execute.

...

Goku eased himself off the floor and back into the chair. Now that he was starting to feel better, Shelt had given him permission to do some light exercises a few times a day. He'd had so much on his mind lately that some physical exertion was just what he needed. Gohan had slowly been gaining some energy, and had been awake for longer periods during the day. They'd started talking about the events on Namek, and Goku had decided that it was time to have a serious talk with his son.

"Wow dad, you're starting to be able to do quite a few push-ups no sweat!" Gohan stated in awe. Goku smiled.

"Little by little it's coming along." He wiped his brow as he brought his chair closer to Gohan's bed.

"Listen Gohan, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about." Gohan sat up a bit straighter.

"What is it dad? What's wrong?" he asked concerned.

"Don't worry son, everything is fine. Do you remember when I told you the stories about when I was your age?" Gohan smiled at the memory.

"Of course!"

"Good. Because I need you to understand the differences between the battles I fought, and the battles you've fought." Gohan didn't understand.

"What do you mean dad?"

"I mean, the battles I fought as a child we're nowhere near as dangerous as what you've experienced Gohan. I didn't witness death and destruction the way you have. I didn't fight battles where entire planets were at stake until I was much older." Gohan nodded in understanding.

"This is about the nightmares isn't it?" He asked.

"In part. I just want to make sure you're okay son. You've had to be brave and act like an adult for a while now. But I don't expect you to be strong all the time Gohan. You're still young, and you're allowed to be." Goku smiled down at his son.

"Thanks dad. I'm okay, really. I think there was just so much going on…and so many people died…" Goku nodded.

"The Namekian's were saved. And Piccolo and Bulma made it off the planet safely. Maybe with their dragonballs, Krillin could be revived." Gohan looked up hopefully.

"You really think so dad?"

"I hope so son. I really hope so."

...

Gohan opened his eyes and stretched. Looking around, he could see that his father wasn't in the room. Smiling, he sat himself up and looked down.

The clothes he wore were quite comfortable. The shirt was stretchy and the pants were loose fitting. He flexed his muscles, and noticed that he didn't feel achy this morning. He still had a light headache, and his chest was still a tad sore, but nothing to really complain about. As he looked at the table beside him, he noticed someone had brought him breakfast.

"Breakfast time! I'm starving!". Gohan devoured the unfamiliar food with gusto. He was surprised that there was always so much food available to eat- it looked like the Yardratian's had appetites similar to a saiyan's. He had no idea what he was eating, but he knew from the few meals he'd had here that the food was really good. When every crumb had been eaten, Gohan hopped down from the bed and walked over to the window.

He could sense his father's energy in the distance. He knew his dad had brought his training outside in the last few weeks, as his strength improved. He'd asked to join, but his dad had been adamant that he was to rest, not train.

But this morning he felt great! It was time to train a little bit. He wanted to get stronger too!

"A few push-ups won't hurt." Gohan muttered as he got down onto the floor.

…

From the hall, Shelt watched as the little one finished his breakfast, and then began to exercise. He knew Goku had specifically told his son no training, but he chuckled as he watched the determination on the young boy's face. He was just like his father.

"I certainly hope you're not going to overdo it and reverse all my hard work." He said from the doorway. Gohan jumped up quickly, relaxing when he saw it was Shelt and not his father who had entered the room.

"No sir! I just felt a bit more energized this morning. I figured a few push-ups wouldn't hurt." Gohan answered while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Shelt laughed.

"Well now, if it is indeed a few push-ups, then you should be alright. But from what I saw, that was quite a few push-ups." Shelt answered as he cleared away Gohan's breakfast tray.

"It was nothing sir, I promise." Gohan smiled.

"Well, you know that a nice walk can also be good exercise. I think you've been cooped up in this room for quite a while now. Why don't you go get some fresh air?" Shelt was delighted to see the boy light up.

"Oh really! I'd love to!" Gohan said excitedly.

"Just don't overdo it. Okay?" Gohan nodded.

"Of course not! I'll be back soon." Gohan went to leave, but Shelt put a hand on his shoulder, halting him.

"Gohan, before you go. On our planet, clothing is kind of a special matter. Leaving without your collar or armour is not considered appropriate." Shelt walked over to the nightstand and pulled out the rest of Gohan's outfit.

"Oh. Right. Sorry." Gohan obediently dressed and smiled as he walked out the door. He'd never been outside his room before. As he looked around the main quarters, he was in awe at just how vast it was. The main quarters held the hospital, council meeting room, court room, police station, and fire station. It was also a spot where the inhabitants of Yardrat could go to hang out and chat. Gohan felt like he stood out like a sore thumb in the crowd, but he knew the only reason the inhabitants kept their distance was because of the language barrier. He smiled at everyone as he walked along, enjoying his time out of his hospital room.

When he finally got outside, Gohan breathed in a big gulp of fresh air. It felt so good to be outside. He felt a bit heavier as he walked, and he wondered if the gravity was different on this planet. It couldn't be that different, but there was a subtle change in the air.

Yardrat was such a different planet from earth! The ground was a purplish colour and the sky was a bright yellow. The Yardratians were very social people, and Gohan enjoyed watching the children play and the adults chat amongst themselves. They all wore the same outfit, but some sported blue or green skin, although the vast majority were pink. He wished he could understand their language so he could introduce himself.

Seeing a big tree not too far away, Gohan walked over and sat underneath it. It reminded him of the trees from Mount Paozu, where he lived on earth. As he imagined himself and his parents walking through the forest like he used to do when he was little, he slowly began to drift off.

...

Goku smiled as he finished his workout. His strength had really increased and he was really relieved to be able to push himself again. He wasn't back to full strength, but he was well on his way. The fresh air had helped immensely. As he returned to the main quarters, he was surprised to see Gohan sleeping underneath a big tree.

Goku walked over and sat down beside his son. His hair was starting to grow out, thank goodness. Goku had laughed and laughed when he'd seen the cut Chichi had given the boy before he headed off to Namek. The poor kid had been given a bowl cut, and it really wasn't the right cut for the saiyan child. Now his hair was getting close to his shoulders, and Goku reached out to touch it curiously. His own hair had never changed, always staying about the same length and style. It was so odd to him that his son's hair could grow so fast. Weird.

As he continued to ponder the mysteries of saiyan hair, he was suddenly jolted out of his reverie by a telepathic sound.

"It's time to wish Gohan and Goku back to earth!" He faintly heard Bulma say.

"Oh no!" Goku looked at the sleeping form of his son beside him. He wasn't strong enough to learn the instant transmission technique yet. He just had to learn it before he returned to earth. It was the only way he could be sure to always be able to keep his loved ones safe.

"I can't let them do this." Goku concentrated his mind trying to picture the earth's dragon when he remembered that they couldn't be using the earth's dragon…it hadn't been a year since the last wish! But how could they be using the dragonballs this fast?

'The Namek's! Of course. We transported the Namekian's to earth. They must be using the Namekian dragonballs.' Goku closed his eyes and tried to picture the dragon he'd seen on Namek. He tried with all his might to connect with the majestic beast.

"Porunga, please. Tell them the wish cannot be granted. Tell them we will return to earth later." Goku waited a moment in suspense. Had he succeeded? A moment later, he jumped.

"As you wish." A deep voice replied. Goku breathed a sigh of relief. He knew his friends wouldn't understand but he had to learn this technique. Scooping up his son, he returned to the main quarters.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ch.5**

On earth, everyone stared at the large dragon in shock.

"What do you mean later?" Chichi shouted. "Goku! You bring my son home right now!" The dragon stared at Chichi awkwardly.

"Look, we can talk about this later. We have three wishes to make, so let's wish back three of our dead and then we can come up with a new plan." Piccolo stated.

"If you plan on wishing the bald one back, it's going to take you more than one wish." Vegeta muttered from the sidelines.

"What do you mean?" Piccolo asked.

"Idiots! The one you call 'Krillin' died on Namek. Namek blew up. If you revive him, where do you think he'll go?" Everyone stared at Vegeta in shock.

"I hadn't thought of that." Master Roshi answered.

"So we can't wish back Krillin?" Bulma asked.

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Vegeta barked. "The earth has a check-in station. Wish him there first, and use the second wish to wish him back earth." Vegeta crossed his arms as Bulma smiled at him.

"Gee thanks Vegeta! That's brilliant! Why don't we wish back Krillin and Yamcha, and next time we'll wish back Tien and Chiaotzu! Then the Namekians can go home as well!" Everyone cheered at this except Chichi, who sat down on the ground in despair.

The three wishes were made, and Krillin and Yamcha were returned to earth. Bulma invited everyone back to the house to celebrate, but a few chose to stay behind. Piccolo stared into the sky, wondering where Goku and Gohan could be.

"I hope you're safe out there guys." he said to no one.

Meanwhile, Chichi decided it was time to go home. She nodded to her father, who understood.

"They'll be back soon Chichi. There must be some reason why they couldn't come back right away." Chichi nodded but said nothing. She missed both Goku and Gohan terribly. She didn't want to go home to an empty house, yet again.

...

When Gohan awoke, he was back in his bed. 'That's weird, I remember being under the tree.' He thought to himself.

"Well hello sleepy-head. I thought you were going to sleep all day!" Goku laughed. Gohan turned towards his dad, who was eating supper beside him.

"How long have I been out for?" Gohan asked, searching for his own supper tray.

"A while. No doubt because of those push-ups I remember specifically telling you not to do." Goku stated as he plopped a piece of something red into his mouth. Gohan gulped.

"I'm sorry dad. I was feeling really energized this morning!" Gohan answered truthfully.

"So I'm told. But when I tell you something Gohan I expect you to listen." Goku looked at his son who looked down.

"Yes sir."

"Shelt says it's okay for you to do a few push-ups, but not as many as you did this morning. So I don't want you to do any more than he's allowed you, understand?" Gohan smiled as he looked up.

"I promise!" Nodding, Goku grabbed Gohan's tray beside him, which was quite large, and handed it to his son.

"Good. And I'd prefer that you exercise with me. Now have a bite to eat." Gohan nodded and grabbed the tray. The meal looked funny, but it sure smelled good.

"What do they call this one dad?" He asked as he began to dig in.

"I can't pronounce it today son. Mystery meat." He laughed.

"It really is good though. But not as good as mom's cooking." Gohan said. Goku frowned. He hoped Chichi wasn't too upset by the news today. He knew she wouldn't understand why they'd had to stay. He hoped she would give him the chance to explain when they returned to earth.

"Listen Gohan. You're getting stronger everyday, as am I. In a few days, I should be strong enough to learn a new technique that Shelt was telling me about- it's called instant transmission. I want to master it before we go home." Gohan looked up curiously.

"Instant transmission? What's that?"

"Well, if I understand it correctly, it's the ability to travel great distances just by concentrating on a person's ki signature, and transmitting or feeling that being's location." Goku explained.

"Wow. That's so cool! You could travel anywhere?" Gohan asked incredulously.

"As long as you can detect a ki signature, yes." Goku answered.

"So if we were separated, we could always find each other as long as we could sense each other's energy?" Gohan asked. Goku chuckled.

"Yes, that's why I have to learn it. I also want to practice the super saiyan transformation. I want to have more control of that form. I'm not sure how long it will take me to accomplish all that." Goku answered seriously.

"I understand dad. I'm not in a hurry." Gohan answered as he finished off his serving of a yellow, custard-like substance.

"I'm glad. You still have some recovering to do anyway. I want you to be back at full strength when we return to earth." Goku replied.

"Dad, there's something I've been wondering about." Goku dropped his fork, having finished his meal.

"What's that son?"

"Well, how did you know where I was headed? When we left Namek I mean. I didn't even know." Gohan asked.

"Well, I honestly just pushed buttons and hoped for the best. But while I was in space, King Kai told me where you were headed. When I looked down at the controls, I saw that I was headed for the same location. I'm thinking the ships were synched somehow." Goku replied.

"Those ships…they were from the Ginyu force right?" Gohan asked.

"I think so. Why?"

"Well, I just thought it was odd that we both ended up here. You don't think they were planning to come here after they went to Namek do you?" Goku thought about it.

"Well, that's quite possible. They worked for Frieza. Who knows what kind of evil plans they had." Goku answered seriously.

"Maybe we managed to spare the people here from the destruction the Namekians experienced. I like to think that we did. They've been so nice to us, I like to think we helped them somehow." Gohan said.

"Maybe we did Gohan. Maybe." Goku smiled at Shelt, who had appeared at the door a few moments earlier. He looked a little surprised at hearing Gohan's theory.

"In that case, I'm going to have to tell the kitchen to get you more dessert young man." Shelt said as he entered. Gohan shook his head.

"No way! I'm stuffed." He laughed.

"Stuffed already? I've seen you eat a lot more than that at home." Goku said surprised.

"His appetite might not have fully returned yet. But, when it does, don't be shy and let me know. No one on this planet is shy about their appetites. Okay?" Gohan smiled.

"Will do!"

"Good. Now Goku, the elders have been watching your training sessions." Shelt said, bringing up the reason for his visit.

"I haven't disturbed them have I?" Goku asked.

"No. But they have seen you struggling with your transformation. They would like to help." Shelt answered. Gohan wondered what his dad was struggling with- it seemed to come pretty natural to him before.

"I would appreciate the help." Goku answered seriously.

"I will have to be there to translate. As you know, it gets a bit quieter around here in the afternoon, around two-ish. How about we get started on that tomorrow. Once you feel better about that, we can start teaching you the instant transmission technique." Shelt said.

"Thank you, I appreciate that." Shelt nodded and looked over at Gohan.

"And you young man, seem to have recovered some of your strength. But as you noticed today, exercise can be quite tiring. Be aware of your energy and don't overdo it. I'm trusting you. Okay?" Gohan smiled.

"Yes sir!" Shelt chuckled. Seeing that boy get excited was a great joy. He had such a positive energy about him. It was a rare find indeed.

"Good. Now I'd better get back to work. Goodnight." Both Gohan and Goku wished Shelt goodnight as he walked out of the room.

"Well champ, I guess I'd better tuck in. I've got a big day of training tomorrow." Goku said as he got up.

"Dad, can I come watch tomorrow?" Gohan asked hopefully. Goku frowned. He knew Gohan had already seen him transform, but he still wasn't in complete control of it. Hmm…

"How about we see how you're feeling tomorrow okay?" Goku smiled. Gohan nodded.

"Sure dad. Goodnight."

"Goodnight son" As Goku exited the room, Gohan watched him with a frown. Now he was really curious about his dad's transformation. What could he be hiding?

…

Gohan looked over at the wall beside him. It was almost two o'clock. He'd pretended to be asleep when his dad had checked on him earlier. He knew his dad was hiding something, and Gohan was dying to know what it was. Pushing down his energy as much as possible, Gohan dressed and exited the main quarters.

He could sense his dad and Shelt a little ways away. Staying close to the trees, Gohan made his way to where they were. When he spotted them, he found a good spot behind some rocks where he would have a good view, and be able to hide if necessary. His dad stood in the middle of the field with Shelt, and a couple of other Yardratians, and Shelt was introducing everyone. Gohan watched as his dad backed up, ready to try his transformation. The group observed him as he powered up.

Gohan was surprised that it didn't seem to come as easily to his dad as it had on Namek. It took a bit longer for him to transform, and it seemed to cost him more energy as well. He wondered if it was because his dad wasn't at full strength yet. When his dad had finished and seemed to have a pretty good handle on it, Shelt approached. Gohan was thankful for his saiyan senses, as he could just hear what was being said.

"Goku, that's good. Now, I know you are feeling a lot of powerful emotions right now. The elders feel that controlling your emotions is the best way to master this transformation. You need to try and clear your mind, relaxing your muscles while maintaining the form. Can you give that a try?"

Gohan watched as his dad nodded. He closed his eyes, and his trembling stopped. He seemed to be much calmer. Unfortunately, once his shoulders began to release, he returned to his original form.

"The transformation comes in response to a need." Shelt translated for one of the elders. "It's why you can transform when you are feeling intense emotion. What we have to do, is help you get to a point where you can transform without the emotional push. You managed to hold on to it for a short time there. It will only get better from here." Shelt smiled as Goku nodded towards the elders.

"That makes a lot of sense. It's challenging, but with practice, I should be able to do it." Returning to his spot, Goku tried once more.

Gohan watched as his dad transformed over and over, able to hold on to his form for a bit longer each time as he tried to relax. As the sky began to grow darker, Gohan began to feel tired. He decided it was time to head back, while the others were still distracted.

On the way back to the main quarters, Gohan thought about what Shelt had said to his dad: " _I know you are feeling a lot of powerful emotions right now. The elders feel that controlling your emotions is the best way to master this transformation_."

What was so emotional about transforming? He knew his dad had been different after he'd transformed…more intense. But he wondered what it felt like to become a super saiyan. It didn't look easy that's for sure. Gohan slowed down his pace as he got closer to the building.

'Will I ever become a super saiyan?' He wondered. Distracted, he didn't notice the children trying to get his attention beside him. Suddenly, something hit him hard in the head, and he fell.

"Ouch!" He muttered as he rubbed his head. One of the children fearfully approached with a round ball in hand. He seemed to be saying something, but Gohan had no idea what it was. As Gohan rubbed his head, he started to understand.

"Oh, I got hit with your ball didn't I? It's okay, I wasn't paying attention." Gohan felt dizzy but got up and smiled at the child in front of him. The kid was much shorter, and seemed relieved that Gohan wasn't angry.

"Don't worry about it." Gohan said as he headed back to his bed. The truth was, he wasn't feeling so hot and his headache was back. But Gohan didn't want anyone else to know that. Shelt was just starting to let him exercise again. There was no way he or his dad could find out that he'd hit his head again.

…

Shelt thanked the elders and told Goku he'd see him back at headquarters. He had to do his evening rounds and knew he was running a little late. When he arrived, he immediately found his assistant Matila and asked her for an update.

"Nothing out of the ordinary doctor. Although your little newcomer was out for most of the afternoon. He's been in bed since he returned. And one of the children came by to see him. I told him that the boy was asleep, and he said he just wanted to make sure he was okay because he had accidentally hit him with a groo ball earlier today." Shelt frowned.

"Not in the head I hope." Matila nodded.

"I'm afraid so. I've been checking on the boy every hour. He says he's okay. Didn't eat much for supper." Matila walked away as Shelt rubbed his temples in frustration. 'Poor kid. He can't catch a break.'


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the delay with the updates! A move and some writer's block got in the way. But I've got a few chapters prepared now! Enjoy.**

Ch. 6

Gohan sat up in bed, rubbing his temples. If this headache would just go away…

"Gohan." Shelt greeted him. Gohan smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"How is my patient today?" He asked bringing up a chair. Gohan wasn't sure how much to share.

"Not bad." He answered slowly.

"Gohan, you don't have to lie to me." Shelt stated. Gohan lowered his eyes.

"I got hit with a ball." Gohan muttered.

"And?" Shelt encouraged.

"And I haven't felt so good ever since." Gohan admitted. Shelt nodded.

"Let me check you out. Okay?" Gohan nodded slowly. The pain seemed to be getting worse, and he didn't notice his dad walk in as Shelt assessed him.

"Yes, I do feel a bump. You got hit right here didn't you?" Shelt asked. Gohan winced as Shelt found his sore spot.

"Ya, right there." Gohan agreed.

"Alright. Have you been dizzy?"

"Yes. At first it was just that. Then I started to feel sick. Supper didn't help… And I have a really bad headache." Shelt looked down at the boy concerned.

"You weren't going to tell me any of this were you?" Gohan couldn't meet the doctor's eyes.

"Gohan. Listen to me alright? I know you know your father has been training. I also know that you've been itching to get back to training yourself. I've got many eyes around here you know. But this injury is serious. Your father is well enough to train, but you still need time to heal. I know a setback is disappointing, but maybe if your father is okay with it, we can teach you the instant transmission technique instead. It's mostly mental training as opposed to physical, and it might be something that is easier for you to handle for the time being. Although not for a few days yet." Gohan nodded. That made him feel better. He was going crazy just sitting around.

"And that's only if you do exactly as the doctor says, and you don't hide anything else from him or me. Is that clear?" Goku said from behind Shelt. Gohan jumped, but nodded again.

"Here, take this. It will help your headache. Do you need something for your stomach?" Shelt asked.

"Yes please." Gohan answered.

"Alright, here you go. Rest up now." Shelt gave Goku a nod before heading out. Goku rubbed his temples in frustration.

"You know, it's getting to the point where if I can't see you, I'm worried sick about you." Goku stated as he sat down in the chair beside Gohan's bed.

"I'm sorry dad."

"It's okay Gohan. Just rest easy son. There's no threat looming. Everyone is safe. There's nothing to worry about except getting better. I know it seems like it's taking forever, but unfortunately we have no control over that. Believe me I wish we had some sensu beans here right about now." Gohan nodded as he rubbed his temples.

"Me too dad. I just feel like I'm going crazy just resting every day…I feel like I need to do something." Goku smiled.

"You definitely get that from me. After my fight with Vegeta, I was just like you. Going against doctor's orders, trying to train before my body was ready…truth is, I just delayed my progress. And that's exactly what I don't want you to do." Goku got up and pulled the blanket over his son.

"Now get some sleep. Tomorrow, you're coming with me while I train with Shelt. It will give you something to do, and give me some peace of mind." Gohan smiled.

"Thanks dad." As the medication started to kick in, Gohan began to drift off.

…

In the next couple of weeks that followed, Goku continued to train with Shelt and the elders to master his transformation. Gohan watched in awe as his father gained more and more control. Soon, he was able to transform instantly, and maintain the form without too much effort.

"Well Goku, it seems you've done it. I think we can start working on the instant transmission technique now." Goku smiled as he returned to his normal state.

"Right on. Gohan!" Gohan jumped as his father called out to him.

"Yeah dad?"

"Come on son. We're going to learn the instant transmission technique today." Gohan jumped up in excitement.

"Awesome!" Shelt chuckled as Gohan ran over to where they stood.

"Well now, let's get started…"

…

Gohan sat in bed that evening feeling tired. It had been a while since he'd felt this tired. The technique was hard, and even though it was more mental than physical training, he could definitely feel it as he sat down for supper.

"You did well today Gohan." Goku said as he pulled the cover off his tray. Gohan laughed as he watched his dad begin to devour his meal with gusto.

"Thanks dad. It was really cool to see the elders disappear and reappear like that! I can't wait until I can do it too." Gohan said as he too began to devour the food on his plate.

The two ate in silence until every plate was empty.

"Dad? How long do you think it will take us to learn how to do instant transmission?" Gohan asked as he pushed his tray onto the bedside table.

"I'm not sure Gohan. Why?"

"Just wondering. I guess I'm starting to miss home a little." Gohan thought about his mom, his grandpa Ox, Icarus, and Piccolo. He wondered if Krillin had been brought back and if the Namekians were still on earth.

"Me too son. Once we get this technique down, we'll head home. I promise."

…

Four months later, Gohan stood at the entrance of the main quarters with his eyes closed. He smiled as he felt out his dad's energy. He loved this training exercise, which had become routine for them.

"Alright dad. I've got you." Gohan brought two fingers to his temple and locked on to his dad's ki signature. He then disappeared, re-appearing in the field where his dad waited.

"That's great son! Okay my turn." Goku smiled as he started to feel around for any Yardratians that were far away. He was able to travel further distances than Gohan could, and smiled as he located a faint signal somewhere across the planet.

"Be right back." He told Gohan as he began to concentrate. Gohan watched as his dad disappeared. After several minutes, he'd returned.

"Wow dad, how far did you go this time?" Gohan asked excitedly.

"About halfway across the planet I'd say." Gohan looked up at his dad in awe.

"That's so cool!" Goku smiled as an idea came to him.

"Gohan, I'm going to go a lot farther this time. But I'm going to help you. This time, I'm going to power up so you'll have an easier time spotting me, since I'll be much further away. Get ready."

"Right!" Gohan watched his dad disappear again, and waited a moment before closing his eyes and beginning to concentrate. At first, he felt nothing. After several minutes, he sensed it.

"It's faint, but I've got it." Gohan smiled as he prepared himself. Locking in on where he needed to go, he then disappeared, reappearing beside his dad, who was in super saiyan form.

"That's great son! You did it!" Goku ruffled his son's hair as he returned to his normal state.

"How far did I go dad?" Gohan asked excitedly.

"Halfway across the planet." Goku smiled.

"What! No way!" Gohan began to cheer and pump his fists in the air.

"I figured you might be able to do it if I raised my power level high enough. Ready to go back?" Gohan nodded as he grabbed onto his dad's arm. In an instant, they were back at the main quarters.

"Dad this is so cool! I can't wait to show everyone back home!" Goku chuckled.

"I think it's best you don't go doing that in front of your mom. You'll scare her death." As they returned to their rooms, which no longer sported medical equipment, Goku sighed as he stretched.

"Gohan, I spoke to Shelt yesterday about our ships. Everything is set. And I think we can continue to practice the instant transmission technique at home." Gohan looked up at his dad surprised.

"We're really going home?"

"That's right. First thing tomorrow morning." Gohan smiled.

"I wish we could just instant transmission our way home." He answered. Goku shook his head.

"I don't think I could find anyone's ki signature from all the way over here. But, once we're closer, then I can try to shave off some time. Shelt said the team working on our ships fused them together, so we won't be travelling apart." Gohan nodded as he began to pack his things.

"Perfect!"

…

Gohan and Goku stood by their ship, as the Yardratians gathered to say their goodbyes. Shelt stood at the front of the group, a sad smile on his face as he watched the father-son duo prepare to depart.

"Goku, Gohan, it's been a real pleasure having you here. You will always be welcome here on Yardrat. Have a safe flight home." Gohan smiled as he approached Shelt.

"Thanks so much for everything !" He bowed respectfully before returning to his father's side.

"Yes, we can't thank you enough. You've been incredibly kind to us, and we really appreciate it. Take care." Goku said with a wave. All the Yardratians began to wave as Goku and Gohan entered the ship.

"Ready?" Goku asked as he watched Gohan tie up his seatbelt.

"Ready!" Gohan answered. Goku smiled as he pushed the buttons Shelt's team had taught him would start the ship. It had already been programmed for earth, and took off immediately.

…

Gohan dozed as the ship headed for their final destination. Goku considered taking a nap himself, when suddenly, he felt a dark energy that was all too familiar.

"No! Frieza. It can't be!" Goku looked at the computer screen in front of him and saw another ship on the radar. This ship was much bigger, and headed in the same direction as him and Gohan. Gohan began to stir as Goku frantically began to check the distance between them.

"What's up dad?" Gohan said as he rubbed his eyes.

"Get ready son, as soon as I can get us back to earth, we're going to use instant transmission." Gohan frowned.

"Dad what's wrong?" Gohan asked, but Goku was lost in thought. 'It can't be. I watched him get sliced in half. There's no way he could have gotten off the planet, let alone survived. How can this be?'

"Dad!" Goku turned towards Gohan, startled out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, got distracted. Look son I don't know how this is possible, but Frieza is trying to beat us home." Gohan paled as he looked out the window.

"Frieza? Oh no! What are we going to do dad?" Goku put two fingers to his forehead and tried to concentrate. But it was no use. They were still too far.

"We're still too far for me to get us home. Frieza's ship is much faster than ours. But I'll keep trying, and as soon as I can lock on we'll get there." Gohan nodded, but remained silent.

'I just hope we can make it in time.' Goku thought grimly.

…

On earth, the Z fighters had settled into their own regular routines. Everyone had been revived, and the group was enjoying peaceful times, when suddenly, each and every one of them felt it…

Frieza.

Horrified, everyone gathered where they knew Frieza would be landing. Vegeta, Yamcha, Puar, Tien, Chiaotzu, Piccolo, Krillin and even Bulma waited to meet Frieza as he approached the earth. Before long, Piccolo spotted the dreaded ship.

"He's here!" Piccolo shouted as a large ship made it's appearance in the sky. Everyone watched fearfully as the ship began to land, not far from where they stood. As the ship landed, two distinct power levels could be felt.

"He's not alone you guys. There seems to be someone else who's even more powerful." Krillin said in shock. Vegeta angrily turned towards the others.

"Listen up! Nobody is allowed to fly! We are going in on foot so we can keep our power levels hidden." Piccolo nodded as he began to walk towards the ship. Yamcha stared at him incredulously.

"Piccolo wait! Let me get this straight. Frieza is the most powerful opponent any of us has ever seen right? So what's the point of us sneaking up on his ship then? We're nothing but bugs to him. Seriously. Tell me I'm wrong! And this time he's brought a friend? How on earth are we going to defeat this guy?" Piccolo glared at him, disgusted at his cowardice.

"Would you quit whining. If you would prefer to run and hide, then suit yourself. But we already know what lies in store for us." Yamcha had no response as Vegeta turned towards him and smiled.

"Are you finally catching on? Your backwater planet is doomed."

…

Goku growled in frustration as he tried once more to find a signal to lock onto so he could get him and Gohan back to earth. They were still too far for him to do it.

"Dad, how far are we from earth?" Gohan asked concerned.

"I'd say about three hours son. I should be able to get us there soon."

"Do you think Frieza is already there?" Gohan asked.

"Yes, he had about a three-hour lead on us. Let's just hope the others can hold him off until we arrive."

…

Back on earth, the ship's door opened, and King Cold, Frieza's father, was the first to emerge, followed by Frieza himself. Frieza, who'd been repaired by King Cold's team, had many new body parts, giving him a 'patchy' appearance. He was burning with desire for revenge.

"So this is earth." Frieza said as the two surveyed their surroundings. King Cold looked unimpressed as he impatiently reminded Frieza that the one he sought to fight was still in space.

"I want to break his spirit. I'll destroy the earthlings before he arrives." Frieza answered. While the Z fighters climbed on foot to where the ship stood, Frieza gave his men the command to set off and kill the earthlings. As they took flight, a flash appeared, and the men fell to the ground, in pieces. Frieza and his father watched as a boy appeared in front of them. He had purple hair, a blue cropped jacket with a Capsule Corps logo, and he was putting a sword back in it's case.

"Okay, you have our attention. What brings you here?" Frieza asked annoyed.

"To kill you two. What else?" The stranger answered. Both Frieza and King Cold stood surprised for a moment, before smiling.

"If only you knew with whom you were picking a fight." Frieza stated confidently.

"Oh I know." The stranger answered. Frieza looked up in surprise.

"Yeah. You're Frieza. It really shouldn't be that surprising. The truth is, I've known about you for years." At this, Frieza smiled.

"Aw, you flatter me. It seems my reputation proceeds me." Frieza, bored of the chit-chat, sent one of his men to fight the stranger before him. He then gave the order for the others to kill the rest of the earthlings. The stranger watched as the men surrounded him.

"Listen up! Surrender now, and I'll let you live. Once we start this, there's no going back." Frieza's men laughed as they checked his power level. The one who'd been given the order stepped forward and pointed a gun in the stranger's direction. The stranger didn't move as the shot headed straight for him. He nonchalantly knocked the blast into the rocky cliff behind him. Shocked, the soldier continued to fire blasts, which the stranger deflected with ease. As the Z fighters arrived, they noticed the stranger surrounded by all of Frieza's men, whom he'd defeated. They watched as the stranger conversed with Frieza.

"Who is this guy?" Yamcha asked, unable to hear what was going down below. Before anyone could respond, the stranger began to transform into a super saiyan, much to their surprise.

"What? How can this be?" Vegeta asked in shock, unwilling to believe what he was seeing. As they watched, Frieza attempted to blast the saiyan several times, but to no avail. The saiyan easily dodged & blocked his attacks.

"This guy just might win." Krillin muttered. Suddenly, the saiyan pulled out his sword and called out to Frieza. To everyone's disbelief, the saiyan easily sliced Frieza into pieces, and finished by blasting the pieces until there was nothing left of the tyrant.

"He beat Frieza effortlessly, but who is he?" Vegeta asked.

"Who knows? Let's just hope this guy is on our side." Krillin answered. Curious, the group flew in closer as the saiyan faced King Cold. After exchanging a few words, they watched as the saiyan threw King Cold his sword.

"What is he doing?" Krillin asked fearfully. They watched as King Cold tried to attack the saiyan with his own sword. But the saiyan caught it with his hands and proceeded to destroy King Cold with a quick blast.


	7. Chapter 7

Ch.7

"Okay Gohan, I've locked onto Frieza's ki signature. Grab onto my arm." Gohan nodded and reached out as Goku prepared to take them to earth. As he was about to depart, Goku gasped.

"What! Wait a minute. Where did it go? I can't sense it anymore." Gohan looked up in surprise.

"I can't feel it either dad. But the other two are still there." As father and son tried figure out what was going on, they both noticed another big power level disappear.

"Now the other one's gone too! The one that was with Frieza. How bizarre." Goku stated.

"What should we do dad?" Gohan asked.

"Well, it seems as though someone has defeated Frieza and whoever he was with." Goku answered.

"Do you think whoever it is is on our side dad?"

"I'm not sure Gohan." Goku replied honestly. Gohan frowned as he looked out the window. 'Who could have beaten Frieza so quickly?' He wondered.

"Dad, maybe we should head over now. If this person is much stronger than Frieza, who knows what kind of danger the others could be in." Gohan said concerned.

"Alright son. Grab hold of my arm." Gohan did as he was told. In an instant, they'd both vanished from space.

…

The saiyan looked up at the Z fighters who were hovering nearby.

'Darn, I hadn't meant for them to see me. Oh well.' He thought to himself. He offered the group a smile as he put his sword away.

"I'm going to meet with Goku. Would you like to join me?" He asked the others. Not waiting for a response, he took off for where he expected Goku's ship to land.

"Do we follow him?" Krillin asked. Vegeta didn't wait for an answer as he took off after the other saiyan. Piccolo followed suit, followed by Tien and Chiaotzu. Krillin and Yamcha gave each other nervous looks.

"Come on you guys! He's going to meet Goku and Gohan. We have to go!" Bulma shouted from Yamcha's arms." Resigned, the rest followed the mysterious saiyan.

As they approached an open clearing, they saw the saiyan hovering above two figures who stood looking up at him.

'No! What is going on here? He's not supposed to arrive for another two hours! And what's Gohan doing with him?' The stranger thought as he stared at the two saiyans in shock. The rest of the gang landed quickly as they recognized just who was standing down below.

"Goku!" Krillin shouted as he excitedly landed close by. Goku didn't smile as he looked up at the stranger in curiosity. Everyone followed his gaze, as the strange saiyan slowly dropped down to the ground.

"Alright, who are you?" Vegeta asked. The stranger looked uncomfortable as he rubbed his head.

"I'm sorry. I… can't say. Vegeta glared in response as Piccolo approached.

"You said you we're here to meet Goku and Gohan." He stated. Goku's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Gohan? No just Goku. Goku was supposed to arrive in two hours." The saiyan answered.

"You're right. We were due to land in two hours. How did you know that?" Goku asked.

"Look Goku, if I could just speak to you alone for a moment, then I'll be out of your hair." the stranger replied. Everyone began to worry as Goku nodded. He gave Gohan's shoulder a quick squeeze before following the other saiyan a little ways away. As the two began to talk, Bulma ran over to Gohan and gave him a hug.

"Oh Gohan you're okay! Leaving you was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do! I'm so glad you're alright!"

"I'm fine Bulma." Gohan answered smiling shyly. Bulma put the young boy down and looked over at Goku.

"Those are some neat looking outfits you guys are wearing. Where have you been all this time?" She asked curiously.

"We were on a planet called Yardrat." Gohan replied. Before Bulma could ask any more questions, Gohan walked over to where Piccolo stood, seemingly in deep concentration.

"Hi there Piccolo." Gohan said smiling.

"Hey kid. Good to see you." Piccolo answered gruffly before turning towards Goku and the other saiyan once more.

"Did that guy really defeat Frieza?" Gohan asked.

"Yes. After turning into a super saiyan." Gohan looked up in surprise.

"A super saiyan?"

"That's right." Just then, the group watched as Goku transformed, followed by the stranger.

"They look so much alike." Gohan muttered.

"There's no way that guy can be a saiyan. Myself, Kakarot and the kid are the only saiyans left ." Vegeta barked. No one spoke as Goku powered up his finger and the saiyan drew his sword, attempting to hit Goku as he'd done with Frieza.

"Look at them Vegeta. There's no way he's not a saiyan." Krillin answered. Just then, both Goku and the stranger dropped their transformations.

"He is a saiyan, isn't he Piccolo?" Gohan asked quietly. He knew Piccolo had exceptional hearing.

"Yes." Piccolo whispered.

"Is he a threat?" Gohan asked.

"Doesn't sound like it." Piccolo muttered.

"Good." Gohan said relieved, as he rubbed his head. He wasn't ready to engage in battle just yet. Piccolo spared him a surprised look before returning his attention to Goku and the mysterious stranger.

"Hey guys! It looks like they're coming back." Krillin said as the two saiyans shook hands. Goku headed back towards the group while the stranger threw a capsule at the ground. A ship immediately materialized, and the stranger got into it.

"He's leaving!" Yamcha remarked. Piccolo frowned as the stranger flew off.

"What's going on dad?" Gohan asked as Goku approached.

"Um, sorry guys, I'm afraid I can't say." Goku answered awkwardly.

"Well if you won't, I will." Piccolo answered. Goku looked at him in surprise.

"You heard all that? Then you heard what he said Piccolo!" Goku exclaimed.

"Don't worry Goku. I won't say anything to endanger your friend. But I think we all have the right to prepare for what's to come." Goku nodded as Piccolo shared the news with the group.

"So in three years time, there will be androids coming to destroy the earth?" Yamcha asked.

"Yes. And I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to train." Piccolo answered.

"How do we even know that we can trust this guy?" Yamcha asked as he looked at Goku.

"I trust him. Although I'm not sure things will play out exactly as he said. In his timeline, things happened a little differently. I landed here with my ship, and Gohan wasn't with me. So I think we should be prepared for anything." Goku answered as he walked over to Gohan and Piccolo.

"Hey Goku, what took you guys so long to come back anyway?" Bulma asked.

"Well, our ships were damaged after crash landing on planet Yardrat. It took a while for them to repair our ship, and for Gohan to fully heal." Goku answered. Everyone turned towards Gohan.

"You okay kid?" Krillin asked.

"I'm fine." Gohan answered shyly.

"Did you learn any new techniques while you were gone Goku?" Yamcha asked.

"Well, maybe one." Goku smiled as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Aw come on Goku! Show us what you learned!" Bulma said excitedly. Goku smiled and looked over towards his son.

"Gohan, why don't you show them?" Gohan smiled gleefully.

"Okay!" Gohan thought about where he should go. Goku walked over and whispered into his ear.

"Go over to Master Roshi's. Grab his glasses." Gohan laughed as he nodded.

"Here I go!" Gohan put two fingers to his forehead and began to concentrate. Goku smiled proudly as he crossed his arms.

"This technique is called instant transmission." He told the group. Just then, Gohan disappeared.

"What's so cool about that?" Vegeta asked. "It's just super speed." Gohan quickly returned, sporting familiar sunglasses.

"Recognize his shades?" Goku asked the group. A moment later, Krillin gasped.

"Those are Master Roshi's glasses!" Krillin exclaimed.

"Yep! He was taking a nap. Didn't even notice!" Gohan replied. Goku chuckled.

"But that's miles from here!" Yamcha said in surprise.

"It's a pretty nifty technique. Instant transmission allows you to travel by locking onto someone's ki signature."

"Wow. That's awesome." Krillin said in awe.

"Want me to bring them back dad?" Gohan asked.

"Nah, hand them to Krillin. I can trust you to get those back to Master Roshi right Krillin?" Krillin nodded and grabbed the glasses from Gohan with a smirk.

"Oh great. Now he's going to have an attitude." Bulma said as she rolled her eyes. Laughter rang out as Krillin put on the shades and smiled slyly.

"Well you guys, I'm going to train. We don't have much time to waste. See you in three years." Tien waved as he and Chiaotzu flew off.

"Piccolo, I could use a sparring partner, if you're interested." Goku stated. Piccolo nodded.

"Sure." Goku turned towards Krillin.

"How about you Krillin?" Krillin shook his head.

"No, I think I'm going to train with Master Roshi." Yamcha agreed, and, grabbing Bulma, the two of them flew off to begin their training.

"Well Gohan, I think we've let your mother wait long enough." Goku said to his son.

"I'll join you for training first thing tomorrow." Piccolo said. He'd seen Chichi's reaction when the young saiyan didn't return with the dragon. He wasn't interested in joining in on their family reunion.

"Alright. See you then." Goku nodded as both father and son put their fingers to their temples. In an instant, they'd disappeared.

…

"Mom! We're home!" Gohan called as he entered the house. He was so excited to be home again, though the news about the androids had definitely put a damper on his mood.

"GOHAN!" Gohan smiled as his mother came barreling down the stairs. She quickly pulled him into a tight hug, leaving him gasping for air.

"Oh my baby! I've missed you so much!" Chichi began to cry as she put Gohan down.

"Don't cry mom." Gohan answered with a smile. Chichi gave him another hug, then looked over by the door where Goku stood nervously.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do Goku." Chichi muttered angrily.

"I know. Why don't we sit down and I'll tell you everything. Okay?" Goku held his breath as Chichi mentally debated.

"Alright." She finally conceded. Breathing out a sigh of relief, Goku followed his wife to the table and got started.

…

"…So we couldn't come back until Gohan was healed and our ship was repaired." Goku finished. Chichi turned towards her son, who was inching further and further away.

"Let me see you!" Chichi cried. Lifting up his bangs, Chichi could clearly see a scar where her son's injury had been.

"A head injury! My goodness how awful. I seriously hope this doesn't affect his studies!" Chichi panicked.

"The doctor gave him a clean bill of health before we left." Goku assured her.

"And you?" Chichi asked. Goku laughed.

"Me? I'm just fine." Goku answered nonchalantly.

"Well now young man, you will have a few days to rest and then it's back to the books." Chichi told her son as she got up to start dinner. Gohan looked at his father, who gulped.

"Well Chichi, that's not the whole story. You might want to sit back down…" Goku flinched as Chichi turned towards him in exasperation.

…

"You've been home five minutes and there's already another threat that you have to take care of?" Chichi asked discouraged. Gohan felt bad for his mom, who truly seemed disappointed.

"Look Chichi, we have three years to prepare for the androids. Gohan and I aren't going anywhere. I will ask that Gohan join myself and Piccolo for our training during the day. But we'll be home everyday for supper, and after supper we'll do something as a family. Is that okay?" Chichi thought about it.

"Do you intend for Gohan to fight these androids Goku? He's just had a serious head injury." Goku frowned. He hadn't decided yet if he was going to let Gohan participate in this fight. But he did want to make sure that Gohan was prepared in case. Gohan looked up at his father, surprised that he looked so torn.

"Of course I'm going to fight." He answered when no one spoke up. Both his parents looked up in surprise.

"Gohan that's not your call to make." Chichi scolded.

"I'm not going to sit around while androids terrorize the earth." Gohan answered stubbornly.

"You'll do as your told." Goku told him sternly.

"So what, because I hit my head, I'm no longer allowed to fight?" Gohan asked angrily. Goku was surprised to see his son so upset.

"I didn't say that." Goku answered evenly.

"You didn't have to." Gohan replied. One minute everyone is treating him like an adult, and the next, he's being treated like a baby. It wasn't fair!

"Gohan, apologize to your father!" Chichi demanded. Gohan gave his father a disappointed look before muttering an apology. Before anyone could say another word, the child walked to his room in silence.

"Has he been that obstinate the whole time you were gone?" Chichi asked perplexed.

"No, I think he's just tired. We've had a long day and we'd been looking forward to some peace. I think the news of the androids has gotten him a bit rattled." Goku replied seriously.

"Well, I'm going to start dinner. Maybe you should go and talk to him." Chichi answered as she put a hand on her husband's shoulder. Goku nodded.

…

Gohan couldn't believe his dad was going to train him, and then make him stay home when the threat arrived. When Vegeta was coming to earth everyone kept going on about how much they needed him. When the Ginyu Force was attacking, he was the last after Vegeta and Krillin to fight until he could fight no longer. Heck, he'd even taken a few shots at Frieza! And now he was too fragile to help fight the androids?

Staring out of his window, Gohan tried to control his anger. He knew his dad just wanted to protect him. But he wasn't a baby! Shelt had told him he was in the clear to train as he saw fit, so long as he took care to protect his head. Balling his hands into fists, Gohan tried to suppress the helpless feeling that was starting to take over.

"I want to help." He muttered under his breath. The door opened and closed behind him, but he didn't turn around.

"Gohan, I know you're upset. But I'd like to talk about this." Goku started from the doorway. When Gohan didn't answer, he continued.

"Son, it's not that I don't want you to fight anymore, or that we don't need you. That's simply not true. But I want to make sure you're ready before you jump into battle again. I've had a lot of time to think about things while we were on Yardrat. And I think that with everything that happened here on earth, and then on Namek, plus your injury, that you just need some time to be a kid." Goku stated.

"How can I just 'be a kid' when there are androids coming to destroy the earth?" Gohan asked seriously. Goku wasn't sure what to say.

"Dad we're not like other people. We have abilities that the other people on this planet don't have. We have a responsibility to them, to our friends, to our family. I know you're just trying to protect me, but I want to fight. I want to protect the people I care about. I can't just stand around and wait." At this Gohan turned around to see his dad looking contrite.

"I know Gohan. Listen, we're going to train for the next three years to prepare for these androids. And when the time comes, I'm not going to leave you at home to wait. But, you need to understand that I am your father, and I will do what I have to do to keep you safe. And if I bring you with me, I expect you to listen when I tell you to do something without argument. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Gohan nodded.

"Good. Still mad at me?" Goku asked. Gohan smiled as he shook his head.

"No. I'm sorry I got so angry." Goku walked over and patted his son's head.

"I'm sorry too. I never meant to hurt your feelings or make you think I didn't want you there with us." Gohan gave his dad a hug.

"Dad…what about the virus?" Gohan asked concerned.

"What about it? I have the antidote." Goku smiled.

"That doesn't mean you won't get sick. And if Trunk's timeline is different than ours…"

"Hey don't sweat it Gohan. We can't worry about things that might happen. There are already differences between the two timelines. Let's just wait and see what happens. In the meantime, I think we should devour as much of your mother's cooking as possible."

…

Chichi looked over at her husband as he crawled into bed with her.

"Do you think he's still upset?" She asked. Gohan had been quiet during dinner. Goku shook his head.

"No, he's alright now." Chichi could tell that Goku was distracted.

"I don't know if he should be training Goku. A head injury is not like a broken bone." Chichi frowned, feeling concerned. This could impact her son's whole life…it could ruin his studies, cause him all kinds of mental and physical challenges…was it really worth the risk?

"Chichi I think this is even more of a reason for Gohan to train. He needs to be able to protect himself. You're a martial artist, you know that having a weakness like that will make you vulnerable. You don't want him to be vulnerable do you?" Chichi shook her head. She hadn't thought of it that way.

"Well, no I don't. I guess as long as you and Piccolo are taking care not to hit his head, it should be alright." Chichi sighed as Goku looked up.

"About that…I haven't told Piccolo or the others about Gohan's injury." Goku stated. Chichi looked at him in surprise.

"Why not? What if they accidentally hit him during training? They have to know." Goku frowned and shook his head.

"I think it's best if less people know about it Chichi. I don't want anyone accidentally informing the androids of Gohan's weakness." Goku paused for a moment.

"I also think it's best that Gohan train with the others at full power. I don't want any of them holding back because they think they'll hurt him. He'll never learn to protect himself that way." Chichi nodded. She didn't like it, but Goku did have a point.

"Just be careful Goku." She told him before turning over to go to sleep. Goku nodded, deep in thought.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry it took so long for me to update the story. I've just had a baby, so I haven't had much time for writing...but I'm getting back into my stories and I hope you enjoy the next chapter!**

Ch. 8

Gohan was surprised that his father hadn't told Piccolo about his injury before they'd all begun to spar. He had been sure it would be the first thing he did to ensure that Piccolo didn't try to hit his head. Although he was glad that his mentor wouldn't be treating him like he was fragile, he wondered what his father's motive was, considering that just yesterday he wasn't even sure he wanted Gohan to fight the androids at all.

"Gohan! Pay attention!" Gohan was snapped back to reality as his father stopped a punch aimed right for the side of his head. He'd been distracted, and now with his injury that was even more dangerous.

"I'm sorry dad." Gohan answered sheepishly. Goku pulled his arm back and ran his hand through his spiky black hair in frustration.

"You know better than that Gohan. These androids are going to take advantage if you let yourself become distracted. We can't afford to take risks like that during a fight." Gohan bowed his head and nodded.

"I know. I'm sorry, I'm here now I promise." Gohan looked over at Piccolo who was watching the exchange with a neutral expression. For a moment, nobody moved. Then Piccolo was behind the young saiyan and the sparring continued.

Gohan found it difficult to protect his head without making it obvious that he was worried about getting hit there. When his opponent went for a headshot, Gohan immediately started fighting defensively as opposed to offensively. He knew if he kept that up that Piccolo would catch on and know that something was up.

By the time dinnertime rolled around Gohan was beat. Fighting both his father and Piccolo for such a long period had drained him, and he was glad it was finally time to head home to his mother's cooking.

"I'll meet you both here first thing tomorrow morning." Piccolo said as he wiped the blood from his lower lip. "And then we can discuss a strategy for Gohan's predicament." Goku met Piccolo's eyes and nodded while Gohan stared at Piccolo in shock.

"You knew?" Gohan asked, suddenly feeling shy and embarrassed.

"It's very obvious in the way you fight." Piccolo replied.

"Don't worry about it Gohan. We'll figure out the best strategy for you." Goku reassured him. Gohan nodded, unconvinced.

"I'd like to keep this between us if you don' t mind." Goku said turning towards Piccolo. Piccolo nodded his agreement.

"Thanks Piccolo. See you tomorrow." Goku put a hand onto Gohan's shoulder and both saiyans immediately vanished, leaving Piccolo lost in thought.

…

Gohan woke with a start. He was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. He'd been dreaming about the arrival of the androids.

 _They were more powerful than anything he'd ever faced. One by one his friends attempted and failed to fight them. Tien, Yamcha, Krillin, Piccolo..He watched them all as they fell. He desperately wanted to help, but his limbs weren't cooperating as he stood off to the side, disoriented from a blow to the head. His father was lying not far from him, clutching his chest. The virus! Who would save them now? Gohan tried to make his way over to his father but he couldn't. He kept falling; dizzy and unbalanced. Suddenly, one of the androids was right in front of him, and grabbed him by the collar. The android smiled before dragging him over to where his father lay. Gohan tried to reach out for his dad but before he could, the android lifted it's hand and blasted him away. Gohan felt his heart stop as he began to scream…_

Gohan shook off the memory of the dream and removed his wet shirt. He hated feeling helpless and didn't want to be the weak link in the upcoming fight. He needed to be ready to protect his friends in case his father was sick and couldn't help. He had to train harder than he'd ever trained. With that in mind, Gohan headed over to his desk and turned on the light. He was feeling restless, and if he couldn't sleep, he would distract himself with studying.

…

Goku stood outside his son's room, watching him hover over his books through a small crack in the door. He wasn't sure what had woken him, but he'd decided to check in on Gohan and watched as the boy woke from what appeared to be a nightmare. He wished he could offer some form of comfort, but he didn't know how to alleviate his son's fears when he had similar fears himself.

…

A year went by in a flash as Goku, Gohan and Piccolo trained to defeat the androids. By now Gohan felt very comfortable protecting himself, as well as his secret, thanks to his two mentors. It had taken some out-of-the-box thinking, but the three of them had come up with several strategies for the young saiyan to subtly protect his head while maintaining the upper hand in battle. All that was left now was for the three of them to become faster and stronger.

Goku's thoughts turned to Gohan as he fought Piccolo one-on-one. He was proud of his son for fully committing to his training like never before. He couldn't believe how focused and resilient Gohan had become. With each passing day, he could see the improvements in his technique that would make him a real asset when the androids did arrive. It made him feel better about his decision to let Gohan attend the battle. He also realized just how much he enjoyed these training sessions with his son. He'd never had the opportunity before to really watch him fight, and though he wasn't happy about the androids and their destructive plans, he was grateful for the chance to spend the next couple of years guiding his son and watching him grow.

"Alright, I think it's time to call it a day." Piccolo muttered as he tried to catch his breath. Goku had been relentless today and as much as he welcomed the challenge, it was time for him to rest and meditate. Goku nodded and gently returned to the ground. Gohan got up from where he'd been watching and headed over.

"Time to go home?" He asked his father as he looked up at the sun.

"Yep, it's about that time. Coming over for dinner Piccolo?" Piccolo grunted in response and Goku laughed as he put two fingers to his forehead.

"Suit yourself. See you tomorrow."

…

Chichi began her supper preparations, knowing her boys would be starving by the time they returned home from their training. She was so happy to have Goku and Gohan back, but it certainly meant a lot more cooking for her to do…especially since Piccolo sometimes joined them for dinner as well.

As she finished with the soup, Chichi thought about the little time she did have with her boys. They were gone by sunrise and only returned for dinner. By the time they all ate and she cleaned up, they were almost ready for bed. After two long years of him being gone, Chichi wished she had more time to spend with her husband. She could tell that him and Gohan were working hard and enjoying the time they spent together and she hated feeling left out. Always waiting at home, always hoping they were safe… She remembered a time when her and Goku used to have adventures together and then Gohan came along and for the first four years they just lived in peace, enjoying each other's company. Those were the days…

Chichi jumped as her son came hurrying into the house in various stages of undress.

"Mom, is supper almost ready? Dad and I are going to take a bath." Gohan threw his soiled clothing all over the floor as he beelined for the backyard. Her husband then walked in and followed suit, giving her a brief wave and greeting before following his son to the tub out back.

Chichi sighed as she finished setting the table, then picked up their dirty clothes. 'They could at least put these into the basket.' She thought to herself. Washing her hands, she looked out the window and watched her boys playing in the bath. She smiled as she listened to their laughter. She just couldn't stay mad at them.

…

Goku drained the bath and followed Gohan inside the house. Dinner smelled delicious, and he couldn't wait to see what Chichi had served up for them tonight.

"This looks awesome mom!" Gohan said as he sat down to eat. Knowing she'd worked hard to prepare such a meal, Goku approached his wife and laid a soft kiss on her temple.

"Thanks Chichi, this looks great." He saw her look up in surprise, as she grabbed the last dish to bring to the table.

"You're both welcome. How was your day?" Both Gohan and Goku immediately started devouring dinner, so her question went unanswered until the very end of the meal. With a sigh, Chichi ate her meal in silence, knowing better than to interrupt the two of them while they were eating.

"It was great mom!" Gohan answered when his plate was empty. Goku nodded, his mouth still full.

"That's great honey. Could you help me clear the table please?" Gohan looked up in surprise. His mother never asked him to do chores. He usually had to study before bed.

"Uh, sure mom." Gohan obediently got up and quickly cleared the table. Chichi couldn't believe how much quicker it got done with the two of them working at it. Why hadn't she thought of that before?

"Thank you Gohan." Gohan waited for her to tell him to study, but it never came. Chichi immediately got started on the dishes, hoping to finish her chores early tonight so she could actually spend time with her family before they went to bed.

"Is everything alright Chichi?" Goku asked. Neither he nor Gohan were used to a change in their usual routine.

"Yes, everything is fine. I was just hoping to get the chores done early tonight that's all." Chichi answered as she washed.

"Would you like help with the dishes mom?" Gohan asked. Chichi smiled at him.

"I would really appreciate that, thank you Gohan." Gohan grabbed a drying cloth and immediately began to dry the dishes. Not wanting to be outdone, Goku began to put them away. Chichi tried to keep it together as the three of them got the dishes done in no time. She wanted to cry, she was so grateful for their help. Just doing something small like this together was enough to make her feel overwhelmed with joy. When the dishes were all clean and put away, Gohan began to rub his eyes.

"I think it's time for bed for you Gohan" Chichi told her son with a smile. His eyes were beginning to droop as he nodded.

"I am pretty tired. Goodnight mom, goodnight dad."

"Goodnight son." Goku answered. Chichi walked over and gave Gohan a hug.

"Sleep well. See you in the morning."

…

Chichi didn't want to go to sleep. She was rarely one to watch TV, but tonight her and Goku sat in front of the screen, cuddling like they used to do when they were first married. He'd dozed off a while ago, but Chichi wanted to feel the comfort of his embrace for a little while longer. She knew that at some point he would go off and fight dangerous battles, and these moments were the ones she would keep with her when that time came.

Looking at the clock, Chichi knew she'd better get to bed soon if she was going to be up early preparing breakfast. With a sad sigh, she began to wiggle out of Goku's embrace so the two of them could go sleep in their bed. Just as she was about to wake her snoozing husband, a sound from the other room startled her and she fell to the floor. Goku began to stir as Chichi turned towards the sound.

"What on earth was that?" She asked in wonder.

"What's going on?" Goku asked as he sleepily stretched.

"MOM!" Chichi and Goku both jumped up as they heard their son's cry from the other room. Both parents reached the bedroom in a hurry, as Gohan let out another shout.

"DAD!" Heavy breathing could be heard coming from the child as Goku and Chichi entered the room. Turning on the light, they both gasped when they saw that Gohan was shivering, sweating, flushed and overall very pale.

"Gohan sweetie what's wrong?" Chichi asked as she walked up and felt the boy's forehead. It was so hot; she felt her heart sink as she realized that her son was quite ill.

"Mom, I'm so cold. And sore." Chichi looked over at Goku who was watching, looking shocked.

"Goku will you sit with him a minute? I'm going to go get some cool cloths and the medicine." Goku nodded as Chichi took off in a hurry. Goku sat down and felt his son's forehead like his wife had before him. Gohan had had a few fevers as a child, but he'd never been this warm.

"You just rest now son. Your mom is going to get everything you need to feel better." Goku offered his son a small smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Dad we're supposed to train tomorrow…" Gohan said looking apologetic.

"Don't you worry about that. There's plenty of time to train. Now is the time to rest." Gohan closed his eyes. Goku couldn't stand to see his son in such distress. If there was one thing Goku absolutely hated, it was to feel like he couldn't do anything to help someone when they needed it. To feel powerless, helpless…those were not emotions Goku was used to.

"Here, put this on his head." Chichi rushed in carrying a bowl of cool cloths, medicine, and a dry blanket. She handed one of the cloths to Goku, as well as the blanket, then set everything down before heading out to fill the now empty bowl with cold water. Goku placed the cool cloth on his son's forehead and removed the sweaty blanket from Gohan's grasp, replacing it with the dry one.

"There, that's better." He muttered. Goku wondered how this could have come on so quickly. Gohan had seemed fine during training, fine during their bath, fine during dinner…

"Gohan were you feeling sick at all today?" Goku asked curiously.

"No dad. Up until I went to bed, I felt fine. I was tired after supper, but that's it." Goku wondered if he'd been pushing his son too hard.

"Here Gohan take this." Chichi brought a spoonful of syrup to Gohan's lips, and he obediently took it and swallowed. She then put a glass of water beside his bed.

"We're going to be right back okay? Try to go back to sleep. The medicine should start working soon." Chichi told her son as she kissed his forehead. Gohan nodded as Goku got up and followed his wife. When they got to the kitchen, Chichi turned towards Goku in tears.

"Goku he's never had a fever this high before. We're going to have to keep a close eye on it. If the medicine doesn't work and it gets any higher, we're going to have to give him an ice bath to bring it down." Goku's eyes widened.

"You really think it's that bad Chi?" He didn't relish the thought of putting Gohan in an ice bath in his condition.

"Yes, unfortunately this is a lot worse than the other times he's been sick. We're going to have to watch him, make sure he's got cold cloths, make sure he's drinking enough…I'm hoping we won't have to give him the bath but we might have to." Goku nodded and approached his wife. She sagged against him as she began to cry silently.

"Oh Goku I can't stand it when he's sick." Chichi admitted.

"Me neither Chichi." Goku whispered.

…

Deciding it would be best to take shifts watching their son, Goku moved a bigger chair into Gohan's room and took the first shift. He didn't think he'd be able to sleep well anyway, and he had napped earlier that evening. He didn't like this one bit, and didn't like that he wasn't his usual calm and reassured self. He was usually able to see the positive in everything, but when Gohan was sick, he felt this anxiety that was completely alien to him. This kind of battle was not one that he was good at, and his patience was much more limited.

Gohan wasn't sleeping well, waking often for a sip of water or simply out of discomfort. Goku repeatedly felt his forehead, and was discouraged when the temperature remained the same, despite the cool cloths and the medicine Chichi had given him. Every time he checked, he could see Gohan looking at him curiously, as though assessing his reaction. Goku did his best to give his son a smile, hoping that he wouldn't catch on to just how scared he was. Because the truth was, he was scared as hell.

"Dad, it's not getting better is it?" Gohan asked as the sun began to rise. Goku jumped slightly as the young boy's voice broke the silence.

"Not yet. But your mom will give you some more medicine when she wakes, and we'll see how that goes okay? Let's take this one step at a time." Goku ruffled his son's hair, which was now damp against his head.

"Piccolo's coming." Gohan muttered. Goku looked up in surprise. He hadn't even noticed.

"You're right. I'm going to go and talk to him. Go back to sleep. I'll be right back." Gohan nodded as Goku turned and left the room. As he walked out of the house, he exited just in time to see Piccolo land nearby.

"Gohan's energy…it's so low." Piccolo said immediately. Goku nodded as he ran a hand through his spiky hair.

"He's sick. Has a pretty bad fever. I've been up all night with him and it's not getting better." Piccolo looked surprised.

"Is that something that has happened before?" He asked curiously. He'd never been sick himself, and wasn't entirely familiar with what that entailed.

"A few times when he was young, but never this bad. I'm worried about him." Goku admitted. Piccolo was shocked- Goku rarely worried about anything. He was usually so calm and collected, the comforting force for everyone around him. But right now he was afraid, and it was difficult to watch.

"I'll be nearby if you need anything." Piccolo offered.

"Thanks Piccolo. I might come for a spar later today. Get out of my head a little." Piccolo nodded.

"Like I said, I'll be nearby. Give Gohan my best."

"Thanks. I will." Goku answered as he turned and headed back towards the house.

"Stay strong kid." Piccolo whispered as he watched him.

…

As Goku returned to Gohan's room, he heard Chichi moving around in their bedroom. Gohan had fallen asleep, so Goku collapsed into the chair and waited for his wife to come in.

"Goku? I'm just going to make you a quick bite to eat and then I'll take over okay?" She told him after poking her head inside the room.

"I'm not that hungry Chi." Goku answered. Chichi walked in and put her hand on his shoulder.

"You have to keep your strength up Goku. He needs you. I won't make a huge breakfast, but you have to eat something okay?" Goku nodded.

"You're right. Thanks." Chichi smiled as she peeked over at Gohan, then left the room. It only took her twenty minutes, a new record, to whip something up. She then returned to Gohan's room with a cup of tea.

"It's all ready Goku. How was your night?" Chichi asked as she took a sip of tea.

"He barely slept. His temperature hasn't changed. He did finish his water bottle though." Goku answered as he got up and headed to the kitchen. Chichi sighed.

"I'll give him another dose of the medicine. If his temperature hasn't gone down by lunch, we'll have to give him the bath." Goku turned and nodded. He really hoped that wouldn't be the case.

…

Chichi came out of Gohan's room a little while later, surprised to see Goku washing dishes at the sink.

"Goku are you doing the dishes?" She asked, suppressing a giggle.

"I had to do something." Goku muttered grumpily. Chichi walked up to her husband and gave him a hug.

"I know how you feel." She told him quietly. Goku put the cloth down and turned towards her.

"How is he?" He was afraid to ask, but had to know.

"No change. He's sleeping again." Goku nodded.

"Why don't you go get some sleep yourself Goku? I'll wake you if anything changes." Goku agreed and headed to their bedroom. Within minutes, he was out.


	9. Chapter 9

Ch.9

"Mom, can you get me some more water?" Gohan asked feebly. Chichi nodded and headed to the kitchen to refill his bottle. As she put some ice into it, she realized that it was almost lunch time. Gohan didn't seem to be any better, and she was certain that they would have to give him an ice bath. The thought made her want to cry.

Shaking her head, she put on a brave face and brought Gohan his water. He drank greedily from the bottle, then stopped to take a breath. He continued to shiver beneath the blankets as Chichi put her hand on his forehead. She did her best not to react as she felt the heat beneath her palm.

"Rest now." She told him as she got up and left the room. Closing the door, she let a few tears leak out as she went to fill up the bath. Chichi filled the bath with cold water, then added some ice. She then proceeded to her bedroom to wake up her husband.

"Goku, wake-up." Chichi shook her husband's shoulders and was surprised when he woke up immediately. He was usually quite difficult to rouse.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Goku asked as he rubbed his eyes. Chichi shook her head.

"It's time." She told him sadly. Goku nodded as he got up and followed her to Gohan's room. He was dreading this.

"Gohan, honey." Chichi woke her son gently. Gohan opened his eyes groggily.

"Yea mom?" Chichi smiled sadly.

"Listen to me Gohan. Your father and I need you to be strong right now okay?" Gohan looked from his mother to his father in surprise.

"What do you mean?" Chichi grabbed his hand.

"Your fever is dangerously high Gohan. You're not getting enough fluids and your father and I feel that we have to get your temperature down. You're going to have to take a cold bath." Gohan began to shake his head quickly.

"No, please mom! I'll drink more. I promise." Chichi's eyes teared up as Goku approached the bed.

"Listen to me son. We have to do this. I know it's going to be hard, but we have to get you better." Gohan looked fearfully from one parent to another.

"Please! Not that! I'm so cold." Chichi got up and wiped her tears. Goku turned towards her.

"Is it all set?" He asked quietly.

"Yes." She answered.

"Okay. Just leave us some towels. I've got this." Chichi nodded as she headed out to fetch the towels. Gohan tried to sit up, but couldn't.

"Please dad. Please." Gohan pleaded. Goku sighed.

"I'm sorry Gohan but we have to. You can do this I promise. I'll be right there with you." Goku approached and picked Gohan up easily, as he was too weak to struggle.

"Anything but that." Gohan whimpered as he shivered. Goku almost caved until he felt his son's hot forehead against his chest.

"Listen Gohan, I'll go in with you okay? We'll do it together." Gohan didn't look up, but Goku heard him speak quietly.

"Really?"

"Really." Goku answered as they approached the tub. He held Gohan firmly as he flew over it, preparing to enter.

"This is it. Stay strong son." Gohan gripped his father's gi tightly as Goku slowly brought them down into the water. The water was freezing, and hit both father and son with a jolt. Gohan immediately began to shout out in anguish as his body was submerged into the icy water.

"Please! Dad this is torture! Please let me out!" The young boy cried. Goku closed his eyes tightly as he held his squirming son to his chest.

"A c-couple of m-minutes Gohan. J-Just a couple of m-minutes." He soothed while his teeth chattered. Gohan continued to struggle until exhaustion won out and he fell limp in his father's arms.

"You can come out now." Chichi said from the doorway. Goku nodded and flew out of the tub. Gohan didn't move or speak as Chichi began to dry him off.

"It's all over now." She told him as she felt his forehead. She smiled as she felt a significant decrease in warmth. Goku dried himself off quickly and went in to change his clothes. He knew they had made the right call, but he still felt guilty and couldn't get the sound of Gohan's pleading out of his head. He quickly decided he really needed a good spar to regain his focus.

After changing his clothes and tucking her son back into bed, Chichi found her husband getting ready to leave.

"Hey, where are you going?" She asked. Goku turned towards her. She was surprised to see him looking so serious. The bath had really helped bring Gohan's fever down.

"I'm going to go for a quick spar with Piccolo." Goku answered as he pulled his shirt on.

"Goku at least have a cup of tea before you go. You were just in ice water!" Chichi pleaded. Goku gave her a small smile.

"Don't worry about me. I've got thick skin." Chichi could see the goosebumps on his flesh, but chose not to argue.

"Okay." She answered as she watched him go.

"I won't be far. And I won't be gone long." Goku answered as he left the house. Chichi watched him go, concerned.

…

Piccolo hadn't lied when he said he'd be close by. Goku didn't have to fly far to find the Namekian meditating in the forest.

"Did it help?" Piccolo asked. Goku knew Piccolo's excellent hearing had no doubt picked up on Gohan's screams.

"Seems to have." Goku answered. Piccolo nodded as he got up and got into stance. He could tell Goku needed to let out some steam. He didn't bother saying anything else as he watched the saiyan get into his own stance, before lunging forward to attack.

…

Chichi hung up the laundry with one ear turned towards the house, listening for Gohan. He'd been sleeping ever since his bath a few hours prior, and this was the longest stretch he'd slept since he'd fallen ill. She hoped this meant that he was on the mend.

As she grabbed her empty basket and headed back to the house, she hoped that Goku would feel better after his training. She'd struggled just telling Gohan about the bath, never mind going in there with him. It was obvious that Goku was having a hard time with that. She couldn't blame him, she hadn't even been able to watch. Peeking in on Gohan, Chichi was relieved to see that he was still fast asleep. She smiled as she closed the door and headed to the nearest chair, feeling tired. 'I'll just rest my head for a few moments.' She thought to herself as she sat down at the table. She was asleep within minutes.

…

Goku arrived at home feeling sore and quite tired. Piccolo hadn't gone easy on him, and his distracted mind had caused him to take quite a few hits before he was able to get it together and focus. The spar had been just what he'd needed, and he'd thanked Piccolo and left feeling much better.

As he opened the door, he hoped that things were going better now that Gohan had had the bath. Entering the kitchen, he found his wife fast asleep with her head on the table. He approached quietly and felt her forehead, worried that she might have caught whatever Gohan was suffering from. He was relieved when he felt a normal temperature beneath his palm.

Chichi didn't stir, so Goku walked over to Gohan's room to check on him. He found his son awake, drinking from a water bottle on the nightstand. His cheeks were flushed again and he seemed to be shivering slightly.

"Piccolo beat you pretty good." Gohan said as Goku approached. Goku chuckled.

"He did." Sitting on the bed, Goku felt Gohan's temperature. It wasn't as high as it had been, but he was still feverish nonetheless.

"Is mom okay? She hasn't be in in a while." Gohan asked as Goku fetched another cool cloth and put it on his son's forehead.

"She's resting. She's just tired." Goku replied.

"She's not sick too is she?" Gohan asked concerned. Goku shook his head.

"Your mother is fine. I checked, don't worry." Gohan didn't relax.

"What about you dad?" Goku sat down in the chair next to Gohan's bed.

"I'm fine, except for a few sore spots from sparring." Goku laughed.

"Dad it's not funny. What if you catch something from me and it turns into the heart virus? What if i'm the one who gives it to you?" Goku's smile faded as he realized how upset Gohan was.

"Gohan I feel fine. We don't know if what Trunks told us will really come to pass. We can't worry about things that might happen. For right now, we need to focus on getting you better. Okay?" Gohan considered this.

"Maybe in this timeline I get sick instead of you." He answered. Goku frowned. He didn't like that thought one bit.

"Alright, enough talk about timelines and warnings. Get some sleep."

…

Goku sighed in exasperation as he struck out and missed Piccolo yet again.

"GOKU! YOU NEED TO FOCUS!" Piccolo shouted as he headed in for another attack. Goku nodded as he prepared himself for the flurry of blows Piccolo was about to deliver. When Piccolo made contact with Goku's jaw, both fighters ceased fighting and returned to the ground.

"Goku you can't fight like this." Piccolo told him seriously. "You're distracted. You're letting your emotions take control and it's making your techniques sloppy. What if the androids arrived early?"

Goku looked up in surprise.

"How will you protect Gohan or the earth, if you can't focus?"

"I know, you're right Piccolo." Goku admitted looking angry with himself.

"Look, I'm not saying you need to train more, or that your emotions can't help you. You are a saiyan after all." Piccolo smirked. "But when we train, we train hard. And when you're with Gohan, you're with Gohan. Okay?" Goku nodded again. Piccolo didn't much like talking to Goku this way - he had a lot of respect for him after all - but he knew it was for the best. Sitting down into meditation, Piccolo was surprised when Goku followed suit.

"I've…never seen you so distracted." Piccolo said quietly. Goku's eyes remained closed as he answered.

"Gohan said something yesterday that's been stuck in my head. He was thinking about what Trunks told us. He said that maybe in this timeline he gets sick instead of me." Goku paused before continuing.

"If that is the case, the medicine that Trunks gave me won't help. He doesn't have a heart virus. And the dragon balls won't work…" Piccolo finally realized the source of Goku's anxiety.

"You've never been one to worry about 'what-ifs' " Piccolo stated matter-of-factly.

"You're right. And normally I wouldn't be so worried, he's had fevers before. But it just seems like no matter what we do, it keeps coming back. He's getting weaker and weaker…" Goku opened his eyes and ran a hand through his spiky hair.

"He's one hell of a tough kid. He'll pull through." Piccolo answered confidently. The way he figured it, a kid with hidden power like that couldn't possibly be killed by a human fever.

…

Goku returned home, ready to relieve his wife at Gohan's bedside to let her rest. She was completely exhausted; her worry etched into her face as she washed blankets, soaked cloths, filled water bottles and repeatedly checked Gohan's temperature. As Goku walked into the bedroom, Chichi gasped upon seeing him.

"Look at your face!" Goku's eyebrows shot up in surprise as his right hand went up to touch his cheek.

"What?" He asked surprised. He heard a weak chuckle from Gohan's bed as Chichi put her hands on her hips.

"You have a big bruise! My goodness Goku. I'll get some ice." Chichi walked out of the room as Goku shrugged his shoulders. He knew Piccolo had gotten a good shot in, but it didn't even hurt.

"Dad…you're not…focused." Gohan said slowly. His mouth was dry and his voice was slightly raspy, but a small smile was present on his flushed face.

"You sound like Piccolo." Goku muttered as he sat down beside Gohan's bed. Gohan frowned.

"He's right…can't let me hold…you back." Gohan answered. Goku smiled down at his son.

"You just focus on fighting this fever. Leave the other fighting to us."

"I wish I was…training with you." Gohan muttered as he closed his eyes.

"I know you do son. You're a good kid." Goku sat down as Chichi returned with the ice pack.

"My goodness what a bruise. That's going to take a while to heal." Chichi said in exasperation as she handed the pack to Goku. Goku laughed as he pressed the cold pack to his face.

"Don't you worry Chi. Doesn't even hurt." Chichi shook her head and turned towards the living room, where the phone had begun to ring.

"And just who could that be?" She muttered walking away.

"Dad…" Gohan's eyes opened and he looked at his father worriedly. Something didn't feel right. Goku didn't answer as he too felt like something was about to happen. The room was still and silent as both saiyans sat in apprehension.

"Goku! It's Bulma." Chichi called from the other room.

"It's the…androids. I ….know it." Gohan tried to get out of bed, but Goku put a hand on his chest.

"Gohan stay here." Gohan looked up into Goku's serious face. He knew that look. It was a look of determination; one Goku always wore when being faced with an evil villain or a bleak situation. He didn't often look at his son that way or use such a harsh tone of voice. It surprised Gohan enough for him to quietly crawl back into bed.

"I'll be right back." Goku said quietly as he headed out of the room. Gohan closed his eyes in frustration. 'This can't be happening right now! It just can't!'

…

Goku held the phone in his hand a minute before putting it to his ear. Could it be? Could the androids be a year and a half early? Was it possible?

"Bulma" Goku answered guardedly.

"Goku, turn on the TV to channel 9! Vegeta just left. Looks like they're early." Goku motioned to Chichi to turn on the TV. She complied, and both watched as explosions lit up the screen in a town called Coldwater Village.

"I'm heading out now. Will you call Roshi's place and have them meet us there?" Goku replied.

"Of course. Good luck!" Bulma answered before hanging up.

'We're going to need it.' Goku thought to himself as he headed towards the door.

"Chichi, tell Gohan I had to go check something out." Goku said over his shoulder as he pulled his boots on.

"Is it the androids Goku?" Chichi asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure. Could be, or it could be something else. I won't know for sure until I get there." Goku stood up and gave his wife a quick kiss.

"Stay safe." Chichi mumbled as she watched him put two fingers to his forehead and disappear.

…

Piccolo jumped as he felt Goku's presence very suddenly behind him. It was dark, and he was surprised to see the saiyan again so soon after their last spar. He knew right away it wasn't to bring good news.

"Might be time." Goku told Piccolo seriously. Piccolo turned around and frowned.

"What do we know?" He asked.

"There's an attack happening in a village called Coldwater. Vegeta's headed there now. Couldn't really see the cause of it from the TV broadcast. They don't have a clue what's going on. I'm not familiar with this place but we'll lock onto Vegeta's energy and see what we find." Piccolo nodded as Goku approached and put his hand on Piccolo's arm. In a flash, the two disappeared.

…

Gohan hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep until a sharp pain woke him with a jolt. He sat up quickly, hand on his chest, startling his mother into dropping the bowl of cold water she'd been carrying into his room.

"Gohan what's wrong?" Chichi hurried over, ignoring the mess on the floor.

"My… chest." Gohan clutched his chest in agony, unable to say anymore. Chichi gasped as she watched him clutch at his heart.

"Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. This can't be happening." She whispered as she began to panic. Gohan began to cry out in pain as Chichi struggled to remember what Goku had told her when they'd first gotten home.

"… _Trunks said in his timeline I died from a heart virus. So I wasn't even able to fight the androids! He gave me the antidote though. So we don't have to worry about that."_

"Is this it?" She spoke more to herself than to Gohan. "Is this that heart virus?" Chichi looked around Gohan's room and saw a small vial lying on the nightstand. She didn't remember putting anything there. Grabbing it, she read the label, understanding none of what she was reading. 'Is this the antidote?' She wondered. Not wanting to give Gohan something poisonous, she hurried over to the phone to call Bulma.

…

Vegeta jumped as Goku and Piccolo appeared in front of him. He growled in annoyance, and moved over to continue surveying the damage below.

"Are we too late?" Goku asked.

"They were gone before I arrived. No sign of life or where they went. I can't sense them at all." Vegeta muttered angrily.

"You're sure this is Coldwater Village?" Piccolo asked. There was barely anything down below but a few charred building remains.

 _"_ It was." Vegeta muttered as he flew down to find any kind of clue as to where the androids could have gone.

"Darn. I didn't think it would be over this fast." Goku said sadly. He then followed Vegeta, hoping they could catch these things before they hit the next village.

"It's far from over." Piccolo said to himself as he looked around in awe. Almost everything here had been completely obliterated. The only indication that there had been a town here was the smoke, some rubble and a few random human objects such as a doll, a few articles of clothing, and some broken furniture.

…

Chichi tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Bulma to answer the phone. After many rings, the woman in question finally picked up the line.

"Whoever it is, now is not a good time." Bulma said sounding both tired and annoyed.

"Bulma I need your help." Chichi cried out.

"What's wrong Chichi?" Bulma asked surprised.

"It's Gohan. He's been sick with fevers and all of a sudden he's clutching his chest and crying out. I think he has that heart virus Goku was talking about. There's a bottle here but I'm not sure if it's the antidote. Can you come check?" Chichi heard a pause before Bulma replied.

"Um ya sure Chichi, of course, I'm on my way." Chichi sighed in relief as she hurried back to Gohan's room.


	10. Chapter 10

Ch.10

At Capsule Corp, Bulma hung up the phone and squeezed her eyes tight. She hadn't told anyone except for Vegeta about her pregnancy, and at the moment she was feeling pretty nauseous. At the same time she was worried about Gohan. The stranger had told them that Goku died of that virus…she couldn't let Gohan suffer such a fate just because she wasn't feeling up to going over. Taking a few deep breaths, Bulma headed towards the door determined to help Gohan in any way she could.

…

Piccolo and Goku frowned at each other as the three fighters stood at a crossroads.

"I'll take the right and you two go left. We'll find these androids one way or another." Vegeta decided.

"If you find anything flash your energy. One of us will wait here for the others. They should be here any minute." Goku answered. Vegeta didn't reply as he took off towards Canopy Village. Goku and Piccolo watched him go a ways before Piccolo spoke up.

"I'll wait here, you go on ahead." Goku turned towards him.

"You sure?" Piccolo nodded.

"If we could just sense them." Goku said as he scanned the area.

"They can do quite a bit of damage in a short time. We might not be able to sense them, but they'll definitely leave a trail." Piccolo answered as he looked at the few remains of Coldwater Village.

"I just hope they don't destroy too many villages before we find them." Goku said feeling a pang of guilt as he thought of the people of Coldwater who'd died because he hadn't been quick enough to save them.

"Go on. I'm going to contact Kami and see if he can help." Piccolo replied. Goku nodded and flew off towards Harp Village.

'Kami can you hear me?' Piccolo concentrated hard, trying to create a connection with the guardian of the earth above.

'Yes Piccolo. I can hear you.' Kami replied telepathically. Piccolo wasted no time relaying his request.

'Good. I need you to do me a favour. We're looking for the androids who destroyed Coldwater Village. Can you tell us where they are?' Silence greeted him as Piccolo guessed that Kami was checking.

"I can't tell you for sure. There is a disturbance not far from where you are. It's a village called Harp. I'm not sure if it's them though. It started just a minute ago.'

'Thanks Kami.' Piccolo considered going after Goku but decided against it. Dende hadn't been sure. Better to wait for the others and see if either Goku or Vegeta would give the signal before then.

…

Bulma was startled as Chichi came rushing out of her home, just as Bulma was pocketing her capsule.

"Thank goodness you're here! It felt like it took you forever. Please hurry!" Bulma felt her heart race as she followed Chichi inside the house. Upon entering, she could hear Gohan's agonized cries, making her feel guilty for not having drove over at top speed.

Chichi stopped in front of Gohan's door and showed Bulma a small vial that she had grabbed from the kitchen counter.

"Is this it?" She asked breathlessly. Bulma grabbed the vial and began to inspect it.

"Whoa. This is really something." She muttered as she read the complicated ingredient list.

"Will it help?" Chichi asked hopefully.

"From what I can tell, it's definitely for cardiac viruses. The instructions are listed as being for adults though. It specifically says for adults. I'm no doctor Chichi so I can't say for certain that this will help or that it won't cause any other damage because Gohan isn't an adult, but based on what's listed here, I'd say give him a lessened dose and see what happens. It's what I would do if it were my son." Bulma handed the vial back to Chichi who seemed to be debating with herself. After a moment, she closed her eyes having made her decision.

"What dose do you suggest?" She asked as she opened the bottle.

"For an adult it says a teaspoon every 4 hours. Gohan is a saiyan but some of these ingredients are pretty hardcore… I'd say do half of that." Bulma replied.

"Okay." Chichi hurried into Gohan's room while Bulma followed. As soon as she saw Gohan, her heart went out to him. He was pale and shaking, hair drenched from sweat. His hands clutched at his chest as he thrashed back and forth in bed. Seeing the boy so sick, Bulma's hand unconsciously went to her slightly swollen belly; a gesture that Chichi didn't miss.

"It's so hard seeing them sick." She told Bulma once she'd given Gohan the medicine. Both women watched as Gohan settled and fell asleep.

"Scary…" Bulma muttered.

"When are you due?" Chichi asked nonchalantly as she relaxed and fixed Gohan's blankets.

"Me? Well I…umm…" Bulma was caught off-guard as Chichi gave her a small smile and motioned for her to follow her out of the room.

"Bulma I can keep it a secret. Probably better than you are right now." Chichi said as she closed Gohan's door behind her. Bulma sighed loudly.

"I'm just a little over three months along." Bulma conceded. Chichi gave her a hug.

"Congratulations. You and Yamcha must be so so excited." Bulma squirmed uncomfortably.

"Actually I'm really going to need you to keep a secret. Yamcha's not the father. We broke up a little while ago. Long story." Chichi looked at Bulma surprised, as she prepared some tea.

"Oh. I'm sorry Goku never mentioned it." Bulma blushed as she prepared to drop a pretty big bomb for the first time. She hadn't even told her parents yet.

"Vegeta's the father." Bulma blurted out. Chichi dropped the packet of sugar she'd been pouring into her cup.

"Vegeta?! The same Vegeta who attacked the earth? That Vegeta?" Bulma sat down and nodded.

"He's really not that bad once you get to know him. Goku giving him a second chance really changed him. We're not really together or anything, it was more of a one time thing…" Chichi gaped for a moment, then pulled herself together and removed the wet sugar packet from her tea.

"Well, that is a surprise. Another half saiyan huh? Get ready." Chichi told Bulma as she sat down to drink her tea.

"I don't know how. I'm terrified and excited and curious and nauseous all at the same time." Bulma sat down and stirred her tea without drinking it. Chichi chuckled.

"I remember that feeling. Don't worry, you'll be a great mother." Bulma smiled as she decided to try the tea. It helped to settle her nerves.

"So what happened with Gohan? And have you heard anything from Goku yet?" Bulma asked. At that, Chichi frowned.

"Nothing from Goku yet. Gohan started getting fevers that just wouldn't come down. Goku had to give him an ice bath…it was awful. It helped, but the fever just keeps coming back. The medicine I've been giving him has just been keeping it at bay. Then Goku left to go check out the situation in Coldwater Village, and after he left Gohan started screaming like you saw when you walked in. At first I thought he was having some sort of anxiety attack about the androids; he's been really upset about not being able to train…but then I saw him clutching his heart and I remembered what Goku had said about the heart virus…and I found the vial sitting on Gohan's nightstand. That's when I called you." Bulma frowned as she thought about what Piccolo had told them when the stranger had visited from the future.

"That's so odd…that saiyan's arrival has changed so much. I mean, everything he predicted happened but differently. The androids coming early, Gohan getting sick instead of Goku…It's like his coming to this time somehow manipulated the timeline." Bulma thought out loud as she took another sip of her tea.

"Well, if he hadn't come we wouldn't have the medicine from the future. I really hope it will help." Chichi answered as she finished her tea and got up to wash her cup.

"We definitely don't have anything like it available right now I can tell you that much. When you're done with the vial Chichi can I have it? I'd love to look into the ingredients further and learn more about this antidote." Chichi nodded.

"Great! By the way, do you mind if I use your phone? I want to call my parents and let them know I'm here in case the boys try to contact me."

"Go ahead. It's right over there." Chichi pointed to the hall and Bulma immediately got up and headed towards it. As Chichi grabbed Bulma's empty cup, she silently prayed that Goku would finish quickly with those androids so that he could return to their son.

…

"Now if I were an android, where would I be?" Goku asked himself as he scanned Harp Village. Nothing seemed amiss; the people below were laughing, talking, hurrying along with packages and phones and vehicles of all sorts. For a brief moment Goku wondered if he'd taken the wrong route, until he heard screams from up ahead of him. His gaze immediately snapped in the direction of the sound, but he wasn't able to react before a big explosion rocked the entire area, engulfing a large portion of the village in flames.

"Whoa!" Goku muttered as he surveyed the damage. His eyes quickly scanned for any sign of the androids, but he found nothing. Diving down towards the ground, Goku tried to search the smoky streets for the strange beings causing the commotion. As he stopped beside a charred building, Goku flashed his energy three times to warn the others.

…

Vegeta cursed as he felt Goku's energy increase briefly three consecutive times. He should have known that Kakarot would find the androids before him. He'd guessed as much when he'd arrived to find Canopy Village intact, with nothing suspicious going on. Angry, he sped off towards the other village hoping he wouldn't be too late for a fight.

…

Piccolo slowly flew towards Harp village, hoping the others would follow his energy. When he felt Krillin and Yamcha pull up behind him, he sighed with relief. Finally.

"Are they really here?" Yamcha asked nervously.

"I think so. Goku's already in the next Village where Kami says something is going on. I haven't felt his energy spike yet but I'm sure it will." Piccolo answered seriously.

"Tien and Chaoutzu are on their way. Master Roshi was able to contact Launch. She can always find those two." Krillin said.

"Good, we're going to need all the help we can get." Piccolo muttered. He kept thinking about how fast the androids had destroyed the previous village. Just then, the group felt Goku's energy spike.

"That's the signal. Let's move!" Piccolo said as the three sped up towards Harp Village.

…

Vegeta spotted the smoke and pushed himself harder as he approached another village not unlike the one he'd just visited. All he could hear were screams as the villagers scrambled to escape the flames that currently ran up several buildings right in the middle of town. Locating Goku's energy, he flew down low to where the other saiyan was searching on foot.

"What are you doing? Taking a stroll? Where are these androids?" Vegeta huffed as he landed beside Goku.

"I'm not sure. I haven't found them yet. I can't sense them at all and I couldn't see anything from above because of the smoke. They haven't striked again, so I'm thinking they know I'm here." Goku replied.

"Well this is ridiculous. The big bad androids are hiding? What is this a joke?" Vegeta spluttered as the two saiyans began walking down the street.

"Piccolo and the others are almost here. We'll split up and try to find them. I know they're still here." Goku answered. Vegeta shook his head.

"They can't be that strong if they're hiding from us." He reasoned. Goku shook his head.

"You're wrong Vegeta. They annihilated an entire village in the time it took me to instantly travel to Piccolo, give a brief explanation, and then travel instantly to you. They're quite powerful." Goku argued. Vegeta smirked.

"They can be powerful Kakarot, but that doesn't mean they are as powerful as us." Vegeta laughed.

"In fact, I highly doubt it. That kid was all wrong. He got the time wrong and he overestimated the power of these androids." Goku didn't answer. He didn't want to underestimate his opponent. Something was telling him not to.

"Speaking of brats, I'm surprised you didn't bring yours." Vegeta muttered as the saiyans both flew over an overturned car.

"Shut up Vegeta." Goku snapped. Vegeta couldn't hide his shock. Nothing usually ruffled his nemesis's feathers. Had something happened to the boy?

Before Vegeta could think of the right response, Krillin shouted at them from above. Goku immediately flew up to the three warriors with Vegeta in tow.

"What do they look like Goku?" Yamcha asked. Goku shrugged.

"No idea. Haven't found them yet." All five warriors looked at the pandemonium around them.

"Alright let's split up. If you see something, flash your energy three times. Don't try to take these things on yourselves. We don't know what were up against." Piccolo said. Everyone except Vegeta nodded their agreement and then the five each went in separate directions.

…

Krillin figured the best way to get information was to ask someone if they saw anything. He found the first person who wasn't screaming and landed in front of them.

"Excuse me sir. Did you see what caused that explosion back there?" The man was shaking but managed to nod as he continued to walk quickly down the road. Krillin flew beside him probing for more details.

"What did they look like?" Krillin asked desperately.

"Big pants, the old dude had a funny hat…look guy I gotta get out of here!" Krillin sighed as the man ran into the crowd.

'Well, I know one of them is old…not that that helps.' He thought to himself.

…

Gohan could feel nothing but pain. Every time he woke it was like a sudden burst of agony that started in his chest and radiated to the rest of his body. The pain was blinding, and he wasn't aware of anything going on around him so consumed was he by it. Jumbled thoughts occasionally entered his mind; Had the androids attacked? Was his dad back? How long had this been going on? Is this what it was to die?

When he did manage to fall asleep the torment continued. In his dreams he could see the faceless androids fighting the other Z fighters. One by one they would fall, unable to defeat the mysterious creatures. He usually had to watch, helpless, either clutching his head or his chest. Some part of him was so worried about what was going on in the outside world that he couldn't get a moment of peace, not even while he was asleep.

As the latest dream faded and the pain returned, Gohan briefly prayed for it all to end, before the pain consumed him once more.

….

Goku could feel his frustration mounting. These androids were taunting them and he usually wouldn't have let it bother him. But today was different. He could sense that something was very wrong. He didn't know what it was, but he had a feeling it had to do with his son. Something was urging him to go home even though he knew that he couldn't. His guilt made him impatient to find these mysterious, powerful creatures who were obviously in no hurry to fight. Why were they hiding? Could Trunks have been wrong about their power?

Suddenly he felt someone's energy drop dramatically. It wasn't Piccolo or Vegeta. Krillin? Yamcha maybe? Had one of them found the androids? Goku flashed his energy twice to alert the others and hurried in the direction where he'd sensed the drop. He arrived just in time to see an awful sight. Yamcha was being held up by what appeared to be an old man with bizarre clothing. The man held Yamcha's face in one hand, and his other hand had gone right through the Z fighter at chest level. Another being, who was much shorter and had white skin, stood behind the two and watched silently. Goku assumed that these must be the androids, and found it quite odd that he could feel nothing from them. No power level at all. That had never happened before.

Unable to tear his eyes away from Yamcha, Goku didn't move as the other Z fighters landed beside him. He heard their sharp intakes of breath as they took in the scene before them. Goku balled his hands into fists in frustration, praying that they could get him some sensu beans before it was too late. Yamcha was still alive, and he knew better than to attack and risk his friend's life out of anger. No he would have to calm himself. If they played it cool, Yamcha might make it.

Krillin wasn't able to stay so calm. He immediately dropped into stance and cried out Yamcha's name. Just as he was about to take off towards the androids, Goku put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Krillin looked up at him in surprise.

"Are we just going to stand here while they kill him?" He asked Goku angrily. Goku shook his head.

"It's too late for that." The creature muttered as he removed his hand from Yamcha's torso. He stared at Goku as he tossed Yamaha's body aside to Krillin.

"Take him to Korin." Goku told Krillin without breaking eye contact with the android. Krillin nodded and flew off with Yamcha as fast as he could. Goku waited or the androids to try and stop them, but they made no move to do so.

"We know all about your sensu beans Goku." The older android said with a smile.

'He knows my name.' Goku thought surprised.

"Oh yes. I know you all. Piccolo, Vegeta, and little Krillin. You're missing a few friends no?" Goku ignored his question.

"What do you want?" He asked bluntly.

"To defeat you." The android replied simply.

"If you want to fight, I know a place. This place is too crowded." Goku said as he began to fly upwards.

"Lead the way." The android replied. Goku took off quickly hoping to lead the tyrants away from the city. Piccolo and Vegeta watched in apprehension as they followed the androids into the sky.

…

Bulma tried hard not to let the tears fall yet again. Every time the poor boy woke up screaming her heart went out to him. She tried to give Chichi a break once in a while but there seemed to be nothing that would soothe Gohan unless she was giving him his dose of the antidote. Even then, his sleep was troubled, and she was sure he was having nightmares. She felt so helpless.

"Bulma check it out!" Bulma left Gohan's room and found Chichi staring at the TV screen in the living room. They watched as an explosion rocked Harp Village, though the cause of the explosion couldn't be seen.

"Do you think Goku is there?" Chichi asked worriedly.

"They must be there. They've been gone a while now." Bulma answered. She watched as hundreds of people tried to escape, hoping that the Z fighters would catch the androids quickly before they could hurt anyone else.

"They haven't shown any monsters on here. Just footage of the explosions." Chichi remarked as she sad down wearily.

"I wish there was something we could do to help." Bulma muttered.

…


	11. Chapter 11

Ch. 11

"This will do just fine." The older android said when they'd reached an open clearing. Goku turned around to see the two androids descend, wishing he could have brought them a little further away from the city. Resigned, he nodded to Piccolo and Vegeta before heading down himself.

Now that Yamcha was gone and they were away from all the chaos in Harp Village, Goku took a moment to really look at the androids. The leader was an old man with long white hair that cascaded down his back and a white moustache. He wore a black hat and a yellow top with pouffy sleeves. His pants were baggy and brown. The second android was much shorter than the first, with less humanoid features. His skin was white, his face quite round and pudgy, and he had on a small yellow and black hat, with a black shirt that pouffed at the sleeves. The shirt was covered by a beige vest, and finally, he wore baggy yellow pants that matched his companion's shirt. Neither one of them looked fit or emitted any kind of power, but this could be deceiving. Goku watched as the shorter android took a step forward.

"Allow me to take care of him." Goku was surprised to hear the android speak in such a squeaky voice.

"So eager 19. I supposed you can do the honours. But don't be selfish and take it all for yourself." The older android answered. Android 19 nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I guess I'm up." Goku said as he stepped forward.

"Go ahead Kakarot. I want the old one. He's obviously the one in charge." Vegeta told him. Goku smiled as he shook his head.

"Sure Vegeta." Piccolo and Vegeta backed away, as did the older android. Goku didn't waste any time and turned super saiyan right off the bat. He would usually gauge his opponent in his base form first, but he was impatient to end these androids once and for all. He then got into stance and waited for his opponent to do the same. After a few moments, it was evident that the android would be doing no such thing. Goku lunged quickly and hit android 19 in the left cheek. He followed it up with a kick to the ribs and blocked as the android attempted first a punch, then a kick himself. The android wasn't quite as quick as him, and Goku used that to his advantage. Goku attacked with a flurry of punches and kicks, most of which the android wasn't able to deflect. Goku then rose up above and put his hands together for a kamehameha wave.

"It looks like I was right, these androids are child's play." Vegeta remarked as he watched the fight with boredom.

"It's not over until it's over Vegeta." Piccolo answered. There was something off about these androids. Something was telling him that they hadn't seen their real power yet.

"…HA!" Goku sent the beam directly towards android 19 who began to smile maniacally. Goku gasped as the android stuck out his hand and in a moment, the beam was gone. Before he could comprehend what had just happened, Goku watched as android 19 laughed and then lunged. Suddenly his punches were faster, his kicks more precise. What was going on?

"He absorbed it." Vegeta said in surprise.

"That's how they get their power…they absorb energy." Piccolo realized.

"GOKU! DON'T USE ANY ENERGY BEAMS. THEY ABSORB THE ENERGY! THAT'S WHERE THEY GET THEIR POWER!" Piccolo shouted.

"Absorb energy? You have to be kidding me." Goku muttered as the android once again came at him with punch after punch, kick after kick. He was so much more agile now and Goku found himself getting tired fast as he and the android went head-to-head. As they fought, Goku struggled to find the android's weakness. Suddenly, he saw it.

"This android is weaker in the air. Fighting in the sky gives me the advantage. Yes!" Goku powered up further and launched himself high up into the air. The android followed, but as Goku predicted, his movements were less precise and slower once they'd left the ground.

"Hey guys. How's it going?" Krillin asked as he and Yamcha landed beside Piccolo, eyes on the battle happening in the air.

"I hope Korin sent you with more beans. Looks like Goku's going to need one." Piccolo answered as he watched the fierce battle that wasn't letting up. He knew both fighters were starting to burn out.

"Yeah we've got a few." Yamcha replied hoping he wouldn't have to fight. His near-death experience with the androids made him especially wary of them. Without realizing it, he had begun to rub the area of his chest where the android's hand had pierced.

"So, are they really strong?" Krillin asked.

"They absorb energy. So no beams or you'll just make them stronger." Piccolo answered.

"Yikes. So it's a fight to the death…literally." Krillin muttered.

"As long as Kakarot stays in the air he'll be fine. The android doesn't do so well up there." Vegeta stated. Krillin looked over at him.

"Well that's good." Feeling more hopeful, he returned his gaze to the fighters, who had stopped in midair to catch their breath.

'He's getting too many shots in. I need to finish this.' Goku thought to himself. He prepared himself as the android lunged for him. Just as he was about to react, he was stunned by a loud noise in his head.

'DAAAAAAAD!' Goku's hands immediately went onto his ears as he scrunched his eyes shut against the deafening, anguished cry, leaving himself open to a punch to the gut from android 19. Seeing an advantage, the android attacked viciously while Goku struggled to regain his bearings.

"What just happened?" Yamcha exclaimed as the group watched in horror.

"I don't know. But Goku's in trouble. Get ready." Piccolo answered. All of them except Vegeta powered up. As they were about to step in, the older android flew up in front of them.

"I don't think so. Until Goku is incapacitated, you will wait your turn."

"I will take care of this once Kakarot is finished." Vegeta told the other three sternly.

"What did you do to him?" Krillin shouted at the older android.

"To be quite honest, I don't know what happened back there. But it certainly worked to 19's advantage." The android smiled viciously. Krillin looked at the others in surprise.

…

Bulma and Chichi watched sadly as Gohan thrashed in bed once more. He was clutching his chest so tightly that Chichi could see him drawing blood. The tears flowed freely down her face as she tried to comfort her son, but it didn't seem like he could hear her.

"I don't know how much more of this he can take." Chichi sobbed as she looked over at Bulma.

"I have an idea. But I'm not sure it will work." Bulma answered as the thought struck her.

"What is it?" Chichi asked desperately.

"Sensu beans. I mean they might not heal Gohan but they might give him the energy to hold on. It's worth a try." Chichi took a moment to process this.

"Where do we get them?" She asked.

"Korin grows the beans. But I'd hazard a guess that Goku probably grabbed some from him already. I'll take my ship and find the boys and snag a bean from them. I'll be quick I promise." Chichi nodded as Bulma headed towards the door.

"Bulma, be careful okay?" Bulma turned around and gave Chichi a small smile.

"Of course. I better go now." Bulma hurried to the door, Gohan's cries growing fainter as she left the Son house. She quickly started her hovercraft after popping it out of it's capsule, and set the GPS for Harp Village.

'They can't be too far from there.' She thought to herself as she took off, this time at full speed.

…

Goku struggled to block as he tried to get Gohan's cries out of his head and focus on the current battle. It had been a while since they'd used telepathy to communicate, but there was no doubt that the scream had belonged to his son. Now his suspicions about what was going on at home were confirmed- something was terribly wrong.

Unfortunately it couldn't have come at a worse time. The distraction was enough for android 19 to get quite a few hits in, leaving him in much worse condition. The android had realized his advantage and hadn't let up, not giving Goku the chance to recuperate. In frustration, he threw a beam at the android, only to see the android smile gleefully and absorb it.

"Damn it." He muttered having forgotten that the android could absorb energy. The situation had just gone form bad to worse. Now the android was smiling, looking much less worn out.

"I think you're about to be tagged in Vegeta." Krillin stated mournfully.

"What's that noise?" Piccolo asked looking in the opposite direction of the fight.

"It's a hovercraft." Yamcha answered. Everyone turned as a yellow hovercraft arrived and landed beside them. Krillin looked at Bulma in shock, before turning towards the older android who was observing quietly. Was she nuts?

"Hey guys! Sorry to barge in but I need a sensu bean asap. It's an emergency. Please tell me you have some." Piccolo and Vegeta ignored her, while Yamcha and Krillin turned towards her in shock.

"What's going on Bulma?" Yamcha asked. Bulma gave him a dirty look.

"I don't have time to explain. This is a matter of life and death. Gohan needs that sensu bean now!"

"What did you say?" Piccolo asked, as he quickly tore his gaze from the fight.

"I said Gohan needs a sensu bean. He's got that heart virus and if I don't get him the bean he might…" Bulma stopped there, unable to continue.

"The heart virus? The one Goku was supposed to get?" Krillin asked.

"Wait, Kakarot knew his son was ill didn't he? That explains why he's so distracted." Vegeta said in irritation.

"He never mentioned a heart virus." Piccolo commented thinking hard.

"He doesn't know about it. Gohan just had fevers before. It started after he left." Bulma replied. Krillin stepped towards her with a small brown bag.

"Here, get this to Gohan. After everything he did for us on Namek, he's definitely earned it." Krillin stated. Bulma grabbed the bean quickly and headed back towards her ship.

"Hold on Bulma." Piccolo stated as he walked towards her. Bulma looked up at Piccolo in fear. She was still intimidated by the Namek, whether he was friends with Goku or not.

"What?" She asked trying to fake a calmness she didn't feel. Piccolo dropped his voice to a whisper.

"Goku's not going to win this battle. Something happened and he's nearing the end. Vegeta's going to have to step in. When he does, the rest of us will distract this one over here. I need you to get Goku and take him with you. Give him a bean, I'll have Krillin slip you one before you leave." Bulma looked from Piccolo to Goku, who was indeed looking like he didn't have much fight left.

"O..Okay." Bulma answered. She was scared. What if they couldn't hold the androids off? Gohan needed the bean. And what about her own safety? What about her baby? Bulma quickly looked over at Vegeta who was doing his best to ignore her.

'Vegeta wouldn't let anything happen to me and the baby.' She tried to convince herself.

"This is it Vegeta." Piccolo muttered under his breath. The older android looked over at the two warriors as Vegeta gave Piccolo a stern nod. Both watched as Goku landed on the ground hard, unable to get back up.

"Well old man, looks like I'm up." Vegeta said loudly to the android as he smiled. Backing away from the group, he gleefully powered up to super saiyan.

"Vegeta can transform too?" Krillin asked in surprise. The older android gulped as he watched. Neither one of these transformations were part of the plan. What was this?

"Now." Piccolo said to Bulma, who jumped before quickly heading towards Goku. Yamcha followed her, grabbing Goku's lower half and bringing him to the hovercraft as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Piccolo and Krillin stood in front of the older android, who hadn't been paying attention. Before he could react, Bulma had started up the hovercraft, and Yamcha slipped her a second bean.

"Be careful. And don't worry Goku, we've got this until you get back." Goku didn't reply as Bulma closed the door and began to fly upwards. The older android tried to follow, only to have Piccolo and Krillin stand in the way. They braced for a fight, but the android let them leave.

"Goku can't hide. We will destroy him." He answered in annoyance.

"I don't think so." Piccolo answered. The two of them stared at each other until a high-pitched cry sounded from the other direction. As the three looked over, they saw Vegeta attack android 19 aggressively, and he was enjoying every minute of it. Despite the power boosts the android had gotten from Goku, he was still quite worn out and having much difficulty countering and blocking Vegeta's attacks, let alone making any of his own. The group watched as Vegeta gave the android a swift kick to the head, knocking off his hat in the process. Under a red glass plate, circuits could be seen.

"You're robots." Piccolo muttered as it all started to make sense. That was why they couldn't sense their energy.

"Yes." The older android replied in distaste. It was looking like Android 19 might not succeed after all. These fighters were stronger than they were supposed to be. But how? His calculations had been precise. This didn't make any sense.

As the older android pondered his next move, everyone watched as Vegeta stood in front of android 19, who was beginning to look quite afraid. The android backed up, tripping over a rock and landing hard on the ground. Vegeta approached menacingly.

"It's time to end this now robot. I'm not playing games with you. Tell me, are you afraid of death? Does a robot know when it's about to die? Does it have a fight or flight response?" Vegeta taunted. The android quickly got up and lunged for Vegeta's arms.

"Now you are mine. I will drain all of your energy. I will never let you go." The android gave Vegeta a small smile of triumph.

"Your friend is done now. Android 19 will drain him of all his energy." The older android told the group.

"Oh you think so do you? Done am I?" Vegeta answered with a smile. Android 19 stopped smiling as Vegeta jumped, lifting his feet to rest on the androids face. Android 19 struggled to hold on.

"Let's see how long you can hold on for shall we?" Vegeta said as he powered up. The boost pushed his feet further into the androids face, putting great strain on the android's arms.

"Shall we go a little further?" Vegeta said with a laugh. The android braced himself with a frightened squeak but it was no use. As Vegeta powered up even further, a large "POP" could be heard as the android's arms we're wrenched from his body.

"You were saying?" Piccolo said looking sideways at the older android, who looked to be completely in shock.

"No.." The android muttered. It couldn't be! This was it. He had to make a run for it. There was no way he could destroy all of them. There had been too many miscalculations. No, it would be safer for him to get back to the lab.

As the group watched Vegeta enjoy his last hits, the older android looked around for an escape route.

'There. I will wait for the right moment and head that way.' He thought as he spied a narrow opening in the rock. If he stayed low to the ground he might escape them.

"He's done." Yamcha stated as Vegeta floated upwards, ready to deliver the final blast that would destroy the android. The android stared up in fear, then began to run away. Vegeta laughed loudly as he shot his beam at the retreating android and hit him square on. With a flash of blinding light, the android was done.

Piccolo turned towards the older android but was surprised to see he was gone.

"Guys, where did the other one go?" Piccolo asked in shock. Yamcha and Krillin looked around, only to notice he'd gotten away.

"Vegeta, the other one's taking off! We have to find him!" Piccolo shouted. Vegeta smiled further.

"You lot stay here. I've got this." He answered arrogantly. As he took off, Piccolo shook his head in irritation.

"We have to find him you guys." Krillin nodded, but Yamcha was distracted by something on the ground close to his feet. Bending down, he picked up the android's hat, and recognized the logo painted on the front in red.

"The Red Ribbon Army…" He muttered.

"What is it Yamcha?" Krillin asked as he and Piccolo approached.

"The logo on the hats…it's from the Red Ribbon Army." Yamcha answered. Krillin looked up in surprise.

"I thought the Red Ribbon Army were defeated?" He stated.

"So did I." Yamcha answered. Piccolo thought about something the android had told them.

"Did anyone in this Red Ribbon Army have a grudge against Goku?" He asked suddenly.

"Ya, there was one guy…Gero was his name. Doctor Gero. He was killed though I think. Why?" Yamcha asked.

"Something the android said. He said that it didn't matter if Goku got away, they would destroy him. He seems to have something against Goku. I wonder if this Gero guy created these androids?" Piccolo answered deep in thought.

"Well, we'd better find him and get this over with." Krillin stated. The others nodded in agreement.

"Good idea. Let's get to it." Piccolo said as the three took off after Vegeta.

…

Bulma looked over at Goku in the rearview mirror. What on earth was she thinking? She was far away now she could safely land. She'd give Goku a bean and he could teleport them there instantly! Happy with her thinking, she landed the hovercraft and took one of the beans out of her pocket.

"Oh Goku, I'm so sorry about Gohan. I hope this works." She whispered as she grabbed her friend's head and fed him the bean. In a moment, Goku opened his eyes and stared at her in surprise.

"Bulma! Where are we?" Goku asked as he rubbed his head.

"No time to explain Goku. Let me pocket my hovercraft and you can teleport us to your house okay? We need to get Gohan a sensu bean." Goku suddenly remembered Gohan's cries as they filled his head on the battlefield. His heart began to race as he followed Bulma out of the ship so she could put it back in it's capsule. As soon as she pocketed it, he grabbed her shoulder quickly and put two fingers to his forehead.

When Bulma opened her eyes a scream pierced her ears and she covered them in surprise. She couldn't believe it- they were in the Son living room. She had known Goku could do this but it was another thing entirely to travel instantly from one place to another. While she tried to gather her bearings, she saw Chichi enter and throw herself at Goku.

"Oh Goku!" She cried. Goku held his wife in shock as he stared at the back room where Gohan could be heard shouting in pain.

"What happened?" Goku asked as he started to walk towards his son's room.

"It's that heart virus. He has it!" Chichi shrieked. Goku felt his chest tighten as he grabbed the doorknob.

He stopped in the doorway as his breath left him. He'd seen his son injured and he'd seen his son sick. But never had he seen anything this bad. Goku froze as guilt began to hit him hard.

'No, this can't be. It's me that's supposed to get this. I'm supposed to be sick. Not my son." Bulma pushed passed Goku and dropped down beside Gohan's bed.

"Gohan it's Bulma. I know you're hurting real bad. I brought your dad kiddo. We're all here for you. I'm going to give you a sensu bean now okay? It will help, I'm sure of it." Chichi brought Bulma a glass of water, then did her best to hold Gohan down while Bulma fed him the bean. As soon as she'd given it to him, she poured a bit of water into his mouth to wash it down. Gohan stopped screaming for a brief moment while he swallowed. Everyone watched to see what would happen. After a moment, Gohan's screaming ceased, and he rested peacefully.

"What now?" Chichi asked. Bulma shook her head.

"I don't know. I figured the bean would help him gather some strength to continue to fight the virus. He seems to be asleep. All we can do now is hope and pray." Bulma stood up and looked over at Goku. He was still standing at the doorway, but he no longer looked shocked. His head was bowed and his hands were balled into fists. Sensing that he might need some time alone with Gohan, Bulma quietly retreated, patting his arm on her way out. Goku didn't react. Chichi bent over Gohan's bed and kissed his forehead, wiping his brow with a cloth before exiting as well.

When the door had closed, Goku walked over to the bed and knelt down. He felt so guilty that his son was suffering a fate meant for him.

"Gohan I'm so sorry." He started. He gently wiped the wet hair off his son's face.

"I was supposed to be here. This should have been me. And what's worse, I had a shot at those androids and failed." Gohan's even breathing was the only thing that could be heard in response.

"I have to finish the job that I started son. I messed up, and I have to fix it. But I want you to know that I'm thinking of you. This is where I want to be, and as soon as I'm through, I'll be back here. I promise."


	12. Chapter 12

Ch. 12

"This is insane! We're going to have to split up if we're going to find this guy." Krillin muttered in dismay. There were hiding places everywhere, and if the android kept low to the ground he could be miles away. Since they couldn't sense his energy, there was no way to find the android unless they stumbled upon him.

"Good idea. Let's split up and stay vigilant. This guy is sneaky." Piccolo answered. Yamcha gulped nervously. He didn't relish the thought of stumbling upon this android alone again.

Piccolo flew straight ahead, diving low over the rocky paths. He tried his best to stay focused on his task, but he was thinking about Gohan. Another deviance from what Trunks had predicted. How could things have changed this much? And why Gohan? Ever since he'd been a boy he'd been fighting for the planet. Piccolo himself had pushed him over and over to reach his limits and surpass them. Then the boy had returned from Namek, and he'd changed. He was determined to fight, but scared too. Scared of his vulnerability. And to be honest, Piccolo had been scared for him. He didn't know what it was like to be vulnerable like that. To have a weakness like that. He'd always recovered well from his injuries. But this illness was different, and in Trunks' timeline Goku hadn't survived the heart virus. Could Gohan?

Shaking his head, Piccolo did his best not to think about it. Gohan couldn't die. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he was fond of the boy and he couldn't bear the thought of him suffering. A small part of him was glad he had a job to do- to find the android- so that he was busy. He wouldn't do well standing by anyones sickbed. What does one do in that situation?

…

Chichi thought about her husband. The guilt on his face when he'd exited Gohan's room had been painful to see. She had wanted to give him words of comfort, but nothing came to mind. All she'd been able to do was stand there and stare at him as tears ran down her cheeks. He'd walked by and squeezed her shoulder, but had remained silent until he got to the kitchen door.

"Stay strong Chi. I'll be back." Chichi was so upset that he was leaving again- leaving her alone when their son was so sick. She turned away without a word.

"Goku, there's something I need to tell you. It just came to me all of a sudden." Bulma said as she entered the kitchen from the living room.

"What is it?" Goku asked.

"Well, it's that old android. Something kept nagging at me while I was back there, something about that android's appearance. I just realized I recognize him. He's Dr. Gero." Goku's eyes widened in shock.

"Wait a minute. You mean from the Red Ribbon Army?"

"Yes. It's him I'm sure of it." Goku frowned as he thought about Gero. What did this all mean?

"I guess he was just pretending to be an android. But why?" Bulma wondered out loud.

"He wasn't pretending. He had no ki. I better go tell the others." Goku answered.

"Good luck." Bulma muttered as Goku disappeared.

…

Goku blinked as he appeared in the hills. He could see Piccolo just ahead of him. As he felt out for the others, he realized that Krillin, Yamcha, and Vegeta must be close by but spread out. He could now sense someone else, Tien he assumed, approaching from a distance as well. Glad that everyone was alright, he flew over to Piccolo to get an update.

"Piccolo. What's going on?" Piccolo turned and frowned.

"Vegeta destroyed android 19. The other one escaped. We're trying to find him." Piccolo gave Goku a once-over before turning towards the hills again.

"The android, I know him from when I was a kid. His name is . I didn't recognize him before, he was human back then. Bulma recognized him."

"This Gero, I take it he has a grudge against you?" Piccolo asked.

"I destroyed the Red Ribbon Army. He might be mad about that." Goku answered. Both fighters took to the sky to continue the search.

"Those androids were weak. They were not the androids that Trunks told you about." Piccolo remarked.

"You think the androids from this time are weaker than Trunks' time?" Goku asked.

"I hope so. But the thought that struck me when this Dr. Gero escaped was that there might be more." Piccolo admitted. Goku nodded.

"I thought about that before I started my fight with android 19. Trunks had described the androids…a boy and a girl. I wondered if there might be more." Piccolo shook his head as the two dived a little lower.

"I don't want to think about that. You and Vegeta could handle those androids but if there were stronger ones…" Piccolo paused before continuing. "By the way, what happened to you during that fight? You had him, and then you lost control." Goku let the memory and the guilt wash over him once more before speaking.

"It was Gohan. I don't think he meant to do it intentionally, but he used telepathy to communicate with me. He was shouting…in agony." Piccolo's eyes widened in horror.

"That's…terrible. How is he?" Goku shook his head as they landed on the nearest hill.

"I don't know Piccolo. I honestly can't think about it right now." Piccolo nodded.

"Let's find this guy and be done with it." Goku nodded in agreement.

…

Dr. Gero watched as Krillin searched a narrow trail below him. He was getting tired, and there was no way he could make it back to the lab soon enough if he didn't steal some energy. He knew he had to release androids 17 and 18 even though their programming was incomplete. It was the only way.

As Krillin stepped away from him, Gero jumped down from the rock he'd been perched on and approached as quietly as he could. Krillin didn't hear a thing as Gero tiptoed until he'd reached his target and quickly put his hand onto Krillin's mouth from behind. His other hand held Krillin's torso firmly to him. Krillin immediately tensed and began to squirm, but Gero merely laughed.

"Sorry Krillin, but I'm in need of a little boost. You don't mind, do you?" Krillin's muffled shouts only made Gero laugh as he began to absorb his energy. In the distance, Goku and Piccolo both stopped as they sensed someone's energy begin to drop.

"Someone's being drained. We need to go now." Piccolo stated.

"Let's go." Goku replied. Both fighters took off in a hurry, only to stop when an unfortunate sight met their eyes. Krillin lay on a rock, his energy almost completely drained.

"Help Krillin." Goku told Piccolo as he took off after Gero. Piccolo hurried over to Krillin and began to search his pockets.

"Hang in there." Piccolo whispered. The brown bag was in Krillin's back pocket, and Piccolo hurried to pull it out and take out a bean.

"Here, chew this." Piccolo instructed as he placed the bean on Krillin's tongue. He watched as Krillin slowly started to chew, then swallow and opened his eyes.

"Darn. I didn't even hear him sneak up behind me." Krillin muttered as he rubbed his head.

"Don't worry about it." Piccolo answered as he straightened up.

"We only have two beans left Piccolo." Krillin said angrily. He couldn't believe he'd let himself be drained like that.

"What's done is done Krillin. Let's go help Goku." Piccolo said as he straightened up. Krillin nodded and both fighters took to the air. They only flew for a few minutes when they met up with Yamcha, and then spotted Goku. He was staring at the trail ahead, deep in thought.

"Goku! Did you find him?" Yamcha asked. Goku shook his head.

"I think he's gone that way but I can't be sure. I need to ask Bulma something. I remember something about Gero having a lab. If he still has one, Bulma might know where it is. That might be where he's headed." Everyone nodded as Vegeta approached.

"Well well, have a nice nap Kakarot?" Vegeta asked. Goku turned towards him but ignored his taunt.

"There could be more androids. We can't afford to let Gero go free." Yamcha gulped before answering.

"More androids? You've got to be kidding me." Goku shook his head.

"Prepare yourselves. This fight is far from over." He said solemnly. No one spoke for a moment as Tien arrived.

"Sorry I'm late. What's going on?"

"These guys can fill you in. I need to get some information from Bulma. Be right back." Goku stated before putting two fingers to his forehead and disappearing.

…

Bulma was pacing in the Son living room. It had been over an hour now and Gohan hadn't made a peep since getting the sensu bean. Chichi had stayed by his side since Goku left in case he woke up. Bulma wondered if Gohan was on the mend, or if the sensu bean had just delayed the inevitable. She hated waiting to find out…it made her feel jittery and restless. Her hand unconsciously went to her belly as she thought about how awful Gohan had looked before getting the bean, and the look on Goku's face when he saw him. She couldn't imagine if it was her own child. The thought made her feel terrified. She knew she was most likely going to be doing this parenting thing on her own, but the thought of something terrible like this happening and not having a partner to lean on made her feel so sad.

"Bulma, I need to ask you something." Bulma jumped as she suddenly heard Goku's voice behind her and quickly moved her hands.

"Yeah, what?" Bulma asked irritated.

"Dr. Gero, he had a lab didn't he? Do you know where it is?" Bulma raised her eyebrows in surprise before thinking about it.

"His lab huh…yeah I remember reading about it. Hold on." Bulma closed her eyes as she tried to remember what she had read.

"If I remember correctly, Gero's lab was located in one of the Northern Mountains surrounding North City." Goku smiled and immediately put two fingers to his forehead.

"Great, thanks Bulma." Before she could even respond, he was gone.

…

When Goku opened his eyes, he was back with the Z warriors, plus one. He was shocked to see Trunks among the group and immediately felt a bit of anger towards the purpled-haired saiyan. So many of his predictions had turned out to be wrong…

Goku's reaction surprised him. It certainly wasn't Trunks' fault that Gohan was sick. And yet he couldn't help but wonder if somehow it was. Had his coming back to this timeline altered things? Was it because of his actions that his son was suffering a fate meant for him?

"Goku, the others were filling me in. I can't believe how much has changed." Trunks stated sadly. Goku took a slow breath before replying, not wanting to sound as resentful as he felt.

"Bulma gave me the location of Dr. Gero's lab. I suggest we try to beat him to it. Who knows what he's got waiting for us in there." Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Where are we headed Goku?" Krillin asked.

"North City. Bulma says his lab is in one of the Northern Mountains there. I'll get us there and then we can split up and search for the lab. Grab on." Everyone grabbed a shoulder except for Vegeta, who merely scowled.

"You want to get left behind and miss all the action?" Goku asked. Vegeta growled under his breath and reach his hand over to Trunk's shoulder. Trunks blushed, making Vegeta even angrier.

"Let's get on with it then!" He spat. Goku didn't need to be told twice as he took a minute to search for energy to lock onto that was in the right direction, then instantly brought the group to North City.

"Wow Goku. That's quite a skill." Tien remarked as he looked around.

"It's quite handy." Goku agreed.

"Why don't we all split up into groups. That way no one gets overpowered and we can cover more ground." Piccolo offered.

"I go alone." Vegeta spat looking over at Trunks. Trunks frowned in disappointment.

"Fine. The rest of us will split into groups." Piccolo answered.

"What do we do if we find this lab?" Tien asked.

"Flash your energy to alert the others. Then check it out." Goku answered.

"Why do you keep looking over at me boy?" Vegeta asked Trunks angrily. Trunks merely shrugged in response. This irked Vegeta to no end.

"Listen guys, we need to find Dr. Gero before he gets to his lab. I have a bad feeling." Goku stated. He hoped Vegeta would let it rest so they could focus on the matter at hand. No such luck.

"Wait a minute. Your jacket. Where did you get that jacket?" Vegeta asked as he began to inspect Trunks more closely. Trunks gulped.

"I have family members who worked for Capsule Corp." Trunks answered trying to appear nonchalant.

"Vegeta…" Goku started.

"There's only three of us left…" Vegeta muttered. It was suddenly crystal clear. A saiyan from the future, bearing the Capsule Corps logo… Of course! It had to be his son. Vegeta took a step back as shockwaves hit him. At first he hadn't believed Bulma when she'd told him she was carrying his child. Then he hadn't paid much attention to it, much preferring to focus on the androids and increasing his strength. But now it was real. There he was, his son in the flesh.

"Am I missing something?" Krillin asked as he looked from Vegeta to Trunks.

"Vegeta and Trunks are…related" Piccolo answered. Yamcha, Tien and Krillin looked at each other as they finally realized what Vegeta had just figured out.

"You're Vegeta's son?" Krillin asked in shock. Trunks blushed slightly.

"Goku am I…?" Trunk's didn't like giving too much away for fear it would radically change the future.

"Not yet. Soon though." Goku answered.

"What do you mean soon? How do you know that Kakarot! The woman only just told me!" Vegeta growled.

"Easy. When Chichi was pregnant with Gohan I learned to sense his ki. It was fascinating. Anyway, when I spoke with Bulma earlier I sensed it right away." Goku replied without thinking.

"Bulma? You mean Bulma is your mom?" Krillin asked as he stared at Trunks, then Vegeta.

"That's why she won't call me back." Yamcha muttered under his breath.

"Are we done now? Goku has said it and now I'm saying it; we need to find Gero." Piccolo said in irritation. He definitely didn't find this discussion as fascinating as the others. Everyone turned towards Piccolo, but before anyone could respond, Vegeta took off without a word.

"Leave him." Goku said as Trunks looked about to follow. "He needs some time." Trunks nodded.

"Alright, let's split up into pairs. We'll be able to search a lot faster that way." Piccolo said. Everyone nodded.

Goku looked at Piccolo and the two headed off in the direction of the hills ahead of them. Tien and Yamcha flew off to the right, while Krillin and Trunks went to the left.

…

Gohan felt weird. He felt still…he couldn't remember the last time he'd been so still. His body hurt, but nothing like it had before. In his chest he now felt an ache instead of an agonizing pain. He tried hard to open his eyes, but they felt so heavy. After many failed attempts, he finally managed to slowly open his eyelids. The light blinded him as he struggled to focus.

The room was quiet, but he could hear his mother snoring softly beside him. He managed to slowly turn his head so he was facing her. He couldn't believe how weak he was. Every movement was so much work. He watched her sleep for a few minutes before focusing on himself.

His chest hurt the most. He felt hot, sticky, and uncomfortable. The cloth on his head was warm and he wished he had the strength to remove it. There were bandages on his chest, but he didn't know why. None of it made any sense. Gohan closed his eyes and tried to think of the last thing he remembered.

He remembered waking up in the night and feeling sick. He remembered his dad taking him into the ice bath. He remembered a phone call…His dad had gotten a phone call and he'd been worried that the androids had arrived. That was the last thing he remembered.

Suddenly, Gohan began to panic. The androids! How long had he been out? What had he missed? What if his friends needed him? He could feel his heart beat faster and the pain in his chest increased. He tried to open his mouth to talk, but he couldn't. He was trapped.

Chichi opened her eyes when a noise from the bed woke her. She was surprised to see Gohan breathing heavily.

"Gohan, it's okay. Mommy's here. You're okay son." Chichi removed the cloth from Gohan's forehead and was relieved to feel warmth instead of heat.

"Relax now, you seem to be doing better. Your dad was just here to see you." Chichi told him as she pushed his wet hair off his forehead. At this, Gohan relaxed.

"He's fine, everyone's fine. So you just focus on getting better." Chichi said. Of course, her son would be more concerned with everyone else's welfare when he had almost died from a heart virus. Chichi sat with him for a couple of minutes until she was certain he had fallen back asleep. She then got up and hurried into the living room to give Bulma the news. Her son was getting better!


	13. Chapter 13

Ch. 13

"There!" Goku said as he spotted what looked like a giant steel door embedded in the mountain. Excited, he flew as quickly as he could to the cliff and landed, staring up at the door in wonder. He didn't wait for Piccolo to land before flashing his energy to alert the others.

"This has to be it." He told Piccolo as he walked forward and put his hand on the door. Beside it was a keypad, which no doubt required a code. Goku wondered if he could blast through it.

"Do you think he's already here?" Piccolo asked as he too observed the door.

"Could be. He knew where he was going and judging by how quickly he drained Krillin and escaped without us catching him I'd say he is able to move pretty quick. Plus all that talk about Trunks slowed us down, giving him plenty of time. I'm willing to bet he is." Goku answered as he took a few steps back. Piccolo followed suit as Goku raised his hand to blast the door. Before Goku could blast it however, Trunks landed with Krillin not far behind.

"Goku wait! If the androids from my time are on the other side of that wall blasting the door could accidentally activate them. We need to think about this first. None of us are strong enough to fight those androids." Trunks pleaded.

"Good point. I guess I'll just have to go in and see for myself." Goku answered. Trunks looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" He asked as Vegeta, Tien and Yamcha arrived.

"Instant transmission." Goku replied simply. As he put two fingers to his forehead, the group heard arguing from inside.

"No! No it can't be. He can't have activated them." Trunks said in horror.

"Maybe they won't be that strong. Things have definitely deviated from your timeline Trunks." Tien stated.

"These androids are powerful. No deviations will affect that trust me. We can't win. If Gero has activated those androids we have to go! We have to come up with a plan. But we can't fight them now, not like this." Trunks was panicking and it was making the group uneasy. They could still hear angry voices from the other side of the door but couldn't make out what they were saying.

"We can't run away Trunks." Goku stated simply. Trunks was beside himself, unsure how to proceed. He knew what lie ahead of them if they tried to take these androids on. He thought of his poor master, Gohan, who had fought them so many times…until they eventually beat him too. The memory brought tears to his eyes and he angrily swiped them away.

"Gosh Trunks is it that bad?" Krillin asked quietly as he watched him in shock.

"Yes Krillin, it is. I've watched every one of you die, aside from Goku, because of these monsters. I've lost everything and almost everyone. I thought we actually had a chance until they killed my master, Gohan. Then I knew, I could never win. I don't want that same fate for this timeline." Trunks replied harshly.

"You should be ashamed to call yourself a saiyan." Vegeta spat.

"Your ignorance has already been the end of you once." Trunks muttered so only Vegeta heard.

"It sounds like these androids are already activated. If they are dangerous, this is a good area to fight them; away from any cities or innocent people…" Goku started.

"I'll take care of this Kakarot just like I did the last one. It's time to do this." Vegeta stated as he stepped forward and put his hand out.

"Don't!" Trunks cried, but it was no use. Vegeta fired, blasting the door with a flash of energy that sent it flying inwards. The group prepared themselves as the smoke cleared and three androids stood looking back at them. Gero appeared to be arguing with the other two, who looked exactly as Trunks had described. Goku tried to get a read on them, but like the other two, they had no ki and merely seemed to be annoyed with the doctor.

"Well well, these are the scaaary androids we've heard so much about then?" Vegeta said as he crossed his arms.

"That's them." Trunks replied in a defeated tone. Krillin felt a wave of relief as he stared at the androids. They looked human, attractive, and not nearly as deadly as Trunks had described.

"They don't look that scary." He said out loud.

"Don't underestimate them Krillin." Goku advised as Trunks was about to reply.

"Well, Goku and company have decided to come to us." Gero said trying to regain control of the situation. Things had not gone as planned, not at all…first the Z fighters proved to be stronger than he had calculated, and now his androids were not obeying his instructions. As the fighters and the androids observed one another, Gero struggled to figure out a way to get his androids to obey.

"Listen Gero, we know who you are and we know about your androids. We've already destroyed one of yours already, so why don't we finish this." Goku said. The androids eyed him with interest before turning towards their creator.

"Destroyed one of yours already, which one would that be?" Seventeen asked casually.

"Don't tell me you decided to create 19 after all?" Eighteen smirked.

"I did." Gero replied barely suppressing his anger at being made fun of.

"They're taunting him." Tien muttered.

"Enough! I order you to destroy these intruders!" Gero shouted in frustration. The androids merely smiled at him.

"Be quiet you old fool. We will deal with them when we are ready. We have other things to attend to." Seventeen replied. Eighteen nodded in agreement.

"What?" Gero spluttered. How could his androids be disrespecting him in this way? Did they not realize he had given them life? Looking down, he saw the controller that Seventeen had destroyed prior to the door being blasted down. How he wished that he could still use that controller…

"I bet you want to turn us off right about now don't you?" Eighteen cooed sweetly. Gero could feel himself getting angrier and angrier, but he was helpless. He began to breathe heavily as he watched Eighteen approach the chamber that held android 16.

"I'm curious as to what changes you've made to him doctor." She said as she tucked her hair behind her ear then crossed her arms.

"I think it's time our friend came out to play." Seventeen said.

"I order you both to stay away from android 16!" Gero shouted.

"There are three?" Goku muttered as he looked back at Trunks. Trunks appeared to be as surprised as he.

"You cannot release him! I have not completed his programming." Gero cried out.

"I think we should attack now Goku. They're not paying attention and if they wake up their sleeping friend, then we have three to fight." Krillin said quietly.

"I don't think so. Step aside, I can defeat all these androids on my own, including the defective one they haven't released yet." Vegeta said with a smirk. Trunks looked to Goku for help. Goku didn't speak as he assessed the situation.

His saiyan side was curious about this third android. It was the same curiosity and eagerness to fight that had Vegeta practically salivating. On the other hand, if these androids were half as powerful as Trunks said, they could be in big trouble. As Goku debated, he thought about his son and how badly he wanted to be by his side. That tipped the scale- they would see how this played out then fight the androids now and get it over with.

Everyone looked at Goku but Goku didn't say a word. Eighteen was talking but none of the Z fighters were paying attention to her petty taunts to Gero.

"Goku what are we going to do?" Krillin asked as eighteen began to open the chamber.

"We wait." Goku replied.

"How can you side with my father like this? Saiyan or not, this is playing with fire." Trunks said angrily.

"It's done Trunks. What can we do to stop it? They're activated." Goku answered calmly.

"Arguing isn't going to help." Piccolo added.

Everyone watched as the chamber opened. Gero was shouting but no one paid him any mind. When nothing happened after a few moments, Seventeen broke the silence.

"That was anti-climatic." He said as he walked over to the chamber. Sixteen didn't move.

"He's not like us." Eighteen observed.

"Sixteen has one special purpose." Gero said angrily.

"And that is?" Seventeen asked. Gero didn't answer, but looked over at Goku.

"To kill me? How original." Goku said as he noticed Gero's look.

"We're programmed to do that too. Why is he different?" Eighteen asked.

"It doesn't matter. He's not complete." Gero countered walking over to shut the chamber. Seventeen stepped in front of him before he could get there.

"I think it does matter. You're going to tell us what we want to know, or we're going to blast you into a million pieces. How's that?" Gero's eyes grew wide as he took a few steps back.

"You'd kill your own creator?" Gero asked, frightened.

"Yes, I would." Seventeen replied simply.

"Sixteen has different characteristics than the two of you." Gero answered vaguely.

"Not good enough." Seventeen answered with a smile. The Z fighters watched as Seventeen raised his hand and blasted Gero in the chest.

"Well, that takes care of one of them." Yamcha commented as he stared at the androids with a horrified expression.

"Goku, we're programmed to find you and kill you, and yet here you are." Seventeen said turning towards the Z fighters.

"You killed your creator, and you're still going to obey his commands?" Goku asked surprised.

"Well yeah. It's our purpose. And to be honest, it seems like a lot of fun." Seventeen answered.

"Fine. Let's get on with it then." Goku said.

"You're a saiyan. My programming tells me you thrive for battle; that you love a challenge. And yet, you seem almost irritated at the prospect of our fight. Why is that?" Seventeen asked.

"He's just putting up a front. He knows he can't win." Eighteen said with a smile.

"I have somewhere to be. So if we could cut the chatter and get on with it, that would be great." Goku answered as he backed up and rose into the air. The Z fighters watched him in surprise.

"He doesn't seem like his usual self." Krillin remarked.

"You know why." Piccolo answered not wanting to give anything away to the androids.

"I hope he's got this." Tien stated.

"Stop whining. If he loses, I'll handle it." Vegeta answered confidently.

…

Gohan was getting frustrated. He could feel himself drifting in and out of sleep, but while he was awake he was too weak to move very much. He had been so relieved to hear that his father had been by; that meant that things were going okay with the androids. He was also touched that his father would come when there was so much going on. He wanted to be with him so badly.

Now he was focusing on opening his eyes again. He could sense that his mother wasn't in the room, which was perfect. He didn't want her pushing him to rest. Concentrating hard, he managed to open his eyes. The light blinded him, but he pushed on anyway. Breathing heavily, he looked around. The room was littered with linens, cloths, and water bottles. There was usually always someone seated in the chair beside him, but now it stood vacant. Gohan briefly wondered how long it had been since he'd been actively conscious. He then closed his eyes slowly, and focused on his fingers. His let out a small gasp as he struggled to bend them. He was able to smile a bit as his hands slowly opened and closed. His chest was sore, but it was tolerable. When he had succeeded in moving his feet as well, the young saiyan allowed himself to rest.

…

"Shall I go first?" Eighteen asked as she eyed Goku. She was excited to fight and certain of her impending victory.

"Sure, go ahead." Seventeen answered. He was eyeing Sixteen with interest. He hadn't given up hope that the android would wake up. He was curious as to how he was different from himself.

"You know it's only Goku we want. The rest of you can leave. You don't have to die." Eighteen said to the others.

"We're not going anywhere." Piccolo answered.

"Suit yourselves." Eighteen answered. Krillin blushed as she looked at him and winked.

"I wonder if these androids can absorb energy like the last ones?" Yamcha wondered out loud.

"No, I've never seen them do that." Trunks replied.

"And you never heard of a third android?" Tien asked him.

"Never. There was always two, and never a mention of a third." Trunks tried to think hard, but couldn't think of a single time that another android had been mentioned, let alone seen.

Piccolo watched as the two fighters got into stance, ready to to get started. Neither one gave much away, and both seemed comfortable as they prepared to fight. Goku seemed completely relaxed, despite everything he had heard about the androids. Piccolo wondered if worrying about Gohan had affected his judgement or if he had a plan.

"Goku doesn't seem worried at all." Yamcha said, voicing Piccolo's thoughts out loud.

"Goku doesn't really worry about fights does he? Even when the odds are stacked against him, he's always mister cool, calm and collected." Krillin replied.

"He's not fine though. Something is stressing him." Tien commented.

"True. He did seem slightly on edge earlier. I guess we'll see how things go." Krillin said with a sigh. He hated that he couldn't be of more help, especially when he knew his friend just wanted to be home.

"Ready?" Eighteen said as she bent down a little lower. Goku didn't answer, instead choosing to lunge forward and begin his attack. He noticed very quickly that his opponent was an incredible fighter- she fought with an intense strength and speed that he hadn't ever encountered before. It took every bit of his concentration to keep up, but he knew he would need an edge very soon.

"She's so fast." Tien said in awe.

"Fast and strong. There's one big problem with fighting these androids- they don't tire out. While Goku is keeping up with her now, he's going to start to get tired and she won't." Trunks told the group sadly.

"He's getting some hits in. That has to have an impact." Yamcha said hopefully.

"Not as much as you'd like. Trust me." Trunks told him. Just then, the group watched as Goku transformed into his super saiyan form.

"That is so cool." Krillin stated, fascinated.

"He looks so different when he does that, it's his eyes. He seems so…ruthless." Yamcha commented.

"It is meant to be ruthless. The super saiyan form is the form of a true warrior. When Kakarot transforms he is no longer your human companion; he is a saiyan. Pure and simple." Vegeta said as he crossed his arms. Trunks watched his father out of the corner of his eye. His mother had been right; he was one proud saiyan.

…

Gohan could feel himself getting very angry. He was trying with all his might to get himself into a sitting position before his mother returned with more water. Up until now he had feigned sleep if he woke and she was around. He knew she would be back soon and had accepted that she would probably catch him in the act. But if he could just get himself sitting up, that would be something.

How could his body have become so weak? What had happened to him? His chest ached painfully, but he was doing his best to ignore it. He wished he could communicate with one of the Z fighters and check on the status of the fight, but he knew that would exhaust him too much and he wouldn't be able to sit. No, he would try that later.

Gohan closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath in. He forced the air out harshly as he pushed with his arms. His body started to lift slowly and he pulled the lower half of his body up with him. Ignoring the increasing pain in his chest, Gohan sighed as his body fell into a sitting position on the bed. He was so excited he could have cried if he'd had the energy to do it. Unable to move, Gohan opened his mouth to call for his mother. He was so thirsty, the thought of quenching his thirst overtook his desire to avoid his mother's lecture. But when he tried to speak, his voice came out low and raspy.

"M….um" He tried to speak louder but it was no use. He was about to give up when he sensed another person approaching the bedroom. Gohan relaxed as Bulma entered his room.

"My gosh look at you! You're sitting up and everything." Bulma exclaimed, beaming.

"Dr..in..k." Gohan rasped.

"Of course, give me a sec!" Bulma answered as she hurried out of the room. She returned with a glass of water, and his mother in tow.

"Gohan! Look at you. Oh it's so nice to see you sitting up. But you really shouldn't overdo it." Chichi gushed as she hurried over and fixed his blankets. Gohan slowly raised his arm to grab the glass from Bulma and drank greedily.

"What." Gohan closed his eyes, unable to finish his sentence.

"You were very sick Gohan." Bulma told him.

"You had a heart virus." Chichi elaborated. At this, Gohan's eyes popped open.

"Dad?" He asked.

"Your father is fine." Chichi told him.

"Sure?" Gohan asked.

"He's been here a few times and seemed perfectly fine to me. It's a good thing that guy brought us that medicine from the future. I think his name was Trunks. Come to think of it, I really like that name…" Bulma said distractedly.

"How is your chest?" Chichi asked concerned.

"Hurts." Gohan answered.

"It probably will for a while. You clutched it so hard you made deep scratches." Chichi admitted.

"S'Okay." Gohan tried to comfort his mother. He knew she must have been terrified. He hated that he couldn't say more.

"I'm so glad you're alright kiddo. For a while there, we really weren't sure." Bulma said as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Your father was so upset." Chichi said as she looked at Bulma knowingly. It had come close, too close.

"Where?" Gohan tried to ask.

"I don't think so Gohan. Even if we knew where they were, we wouldn't tell you. You need to rest. Leave the fighting to your father." Chichi said having had quite enough of her son overexerting himself.

"Tire." Gohan agreed as his eyes began to fall. Chichi helped him lie back down, and watched as her son fell asleep before his head hit the pillow.

"I can't believe it. He's really going to be okay." Chichi said with tears in her eyes. Bulma gave her a big smile.

"Of course he is! He's one strong little dude."


	14. Chapter 14

Ch.14

Goku braced himself as he went crashing into a nearby hill. This wasn't going well. He wasn't losing, but he wasn't winning either. He wasn't really sure he could win if he was being honest. Though the android appeared to be tiring, he was tiring at a much faster rate than her. His super saiyan form had provided an advantage but not enough for him to really make an impact, much to his disappointment. It seemed Trunks had been right after all. As he threw himself back into the fight, Goku struggled to come up with a plan. He couldn't keep fighting like this, as he would surely lose. He had to make a move, take her by surprise…

"SOLAR FLARE" Goku cried as an idea struck him. The android immediately began to shield her eyes. Seeing an opportunity, he fired up the strongest kamehameha wave that he could and shot it towards her. She didn't regain her vision in time to avoid it. Once she'd taken the blast full force, Goku disappeared and reappeared behind her, firing a series of shots and then connecting a punch to the head and quick kick to her side before she could recover. He continued his onslaught until exhaustion began to set in. To his surprise, she fell to the ground, stunned.

"Gotcha" He muttered as he dropped out of his super saiyan form. He couldn't maintain it any longer. He was going to have to tag Vegeta in so he could regain his strength before taking on Seventeen. Although if Vegeta had been training as hard as he'd said, he might not need to be tagged back in at all. Goku watched as the android's body lie on the ground. He didn't think her finished, but she seemed temporarily out of it.

"Kakarot, I assume it's my turn?" Vegeta said with glee as he eyed Seventeen with interest.

"She's not dead you know." Seventeen muttered nonplussed.

"Of course not. But she's not able to fight is she?" Vegeta retorted.

"It appears not." Seventeen said in annoyance. "But why should I fight you and not just kill Goku while he's tired?"

"Because what would be the fun in that?" Vegeta taunted. Seventeen smirked. Touché.

"Alright. Let's do this." Seventeen said as he rose into the air. Goku flew over to Piccolo while the other two got ready to fight.

"Wouldn't happen to have any sensu beans left?" He asked.

"We've got two." Piccolo answered pulling one out for him. Goku took it and ate it quickly, then stretched out his arms.

"She's not down for the count, but I was pretty close to done. If Vegeta can take this guy out, she shouldn't be hard to finish." Goku remarked.

"I wouldn't count on that plan. She's fast and strong. I get the feeling he's even stronger. And we both know Vegeta and his ego…" Piccolo stated.

"Yeah, it won't be that easy. A guy can dream." Goku laughed.

"This isn't a laughing matter." Trunks said in surprise.

"Relax Trunks. We've got one down already." Yamcha said as he crossed his arms.

"She's not down yet." Trunks replied.

"That's true." Piccolo acknowledged.

"You guys really don't take this too seriously do you?" Trunks asked as he looked around at the group.

"We take it quite seriously. But panicking won't help. I get that you've seen what you've seen, but we have to take things as they happen in this timeline. I see no reason to worry yet." Piccolo stated.

"I do." Trunks said in horror as he looked over at the chamber. A hand was sitting on the edge of it, and the android known as Sixteen sat up slowly.

"That's not good." Krillin said in fear.

"Darn. That complicates matters." Goku said mid-stretch.

"What are they looking at?" Seventeen asked out loud as he noticed the Z fighters shocked expressions. Following their gazes, he smiled gleefully upon seeing Sixteen awake at last.

"Well, this changes things. Hold on a minute will ya?" Seventeen said to Vegeta, who looked unimpressed with this latest development. Android Sixteen stepped out of his chamber and looked around. He was quite tall, and had on bulky green armour and black boots, unlike the other two androids. His fiery red hair stood on end and he was much bigger and more built than Seventeen and Eighteen. Seventeen landed in front of him and smiled.

"Hi there. You've woken up just in time." Seventeen said with a smirk. Sixteen responded with a voice that was completely robotic, devoid of any emotion whatsoever.

"I am designated as Android Sixteen. I am programmed by Dr. Gero with the sole purpose of murdering Son Goku." Seventeen frowned in disappointment. This model seemed to be pretty basic as far as he could tell. This wouldn't be as much fun as he thought.

"Well I've killed him." Seventeen said as he crossed his arms in a pout.

"You've killed Son Goku?" Sixteen asked.

"No, Dr. Gero." Seventeen informed him.

"Oh. Well that is of no importance. My purpose is to kill Son Goku." Sixteen stated bluntly.

"Wow, this guy isn't a real chatter box." Krillin said from behind Tien. Just then, Sixteen's eyes flashed red and his gaze was suddenly turned towards a robin flying nearby. The android smiled.

"Is he looking at the bird?" Tien asked the group.

"A passion for nature, just like you Goku." Krillin said with a nervous giggle.

"Something like me, to kill me." Goku muttered. As soon as he spoke, android Sixteen turned his gaze towards him.

"Son Goku located." Sixteen said with a scowl.

"Goku, you might want to get ready." Krillin said as he took a few steps back.

"Ya I got that Krillin." Goku said as he started to get into stance.

…

Chichi hummed to herself as she folded laundry. She'd positioned Bulma in front of the TV to keep an eye on the news in hopes that Goku would be returning shortly. She couldn't wait for him to see how much progress Gohan had made!

As she smiled to herself she thought about her husband. She was impatient for him to return, confident that he would be able to defeat the latest threat. She hated the fighting, the stress, the fear, and the time he spent away, but deep down Chichi had always known she was marrying a hero. Goku was no ordinary man; he was someone who always looked out for others, and prided himself on his ability to defend those he loved when he had to. It was one of the things she loved most about him- his incredible inner strength that allowed him to do amazing things even when the odds were stacked against him. That and his kind and loving nature. Chichi smiled as she grabbed the basket and headed towards her room. Maybe after these androids were destroyed they could actually spend some time as a family. They certainly needed it.

…

Gohan pushed his tired legs over the window ledge and braced himself as he landed on the grass outside. His breathing became laboured but he pushed on, determined to get out and start moving. He was still so very weak and yet he felt this strength that hadn't been there before…this power. He didn't know where it came from but suddenly he just had to get stronger and see what it meant. He'd been brainstorming all day trying to figure out a way to regain his energy quickly so he could start training. He didn't have much time as the androids were already here. The best he could come up with was to go to Korin Tower for a sensu bean. As soon as his mother had left him to rest, he'd sat himself up and slowly walked over to the window. He'd known just getting outside would wear him out, but Nimbus could get him the rest of the way. When he was far enough to shout for Nimbus without alerting his mother, he stopped and put both hands to his mouth, calling out as loud as he could for the little cloud. He grinned as it came zooming out of the forest to rest at his feet.

"Hi there Nimbus! It's been a while huh?" Gohan took his time climbing onto the cloud, then relaxed.

"I need to get to Korin Tower Nimbus." He instructed as he patted the cloud affectionately. The cloud took off immediately and Gohan smiled as the evening air hit his face. It felt magical after lying in bed for so long. Gohan thought about his father and hoped that him and the others were faring alright against the androids.

"I'm coming Dad, I'm coming." He thought to himself.

…

Chichi looked over at the clock on the wall. Gohan had been resting for three hours now. Bulma had fallen asleep on the couch, and the news didn't have anything new to report. She decided to check in on Gohan and then maybe make him something to eat. She quietly opened the door and peeked in, surprised to find his bed empty. Her heart sank. She knew her son would try to find his father and the others when he was well enough but he was still so weak! How could he have even left his room?

Tears welled up in her eyes as she walked over to the window. Why did her son have to worry her so? He'd almost died and now he'd taken off without so much as a word? Did anyone care about the stress she was under?

Chichi rubbed angrily at the tears falling down her cheeks. She felt so helpless at times. Her boy was headed toward danger, not even well enough to be out, and there was nothing she could do about it.

…

Nimbus flew up Korin Tower, stopping right at the entrance where the steps opened into the round circular hall where Korin lived. Gohan slowly got off Nimbus, unsure if that was even a good idea given his level of fatigue.

"Master Korin?" He asked as he looked around. Gohan jumped as the wise cat walked out in a hurry.

"Gohan! You're here. Don't tell me things aren't going well with those androids." Korin said worriedly before taking in Gohan's appearance.

"Wow you look awful. Not like you've been in battle though…what's going on?" Korin stopped in front of Gohan and clasped his hands behind his back.

"I came down with a heart virus. I'm getting better but I need to get my energy up so I can help the others fight the androids. I was wondering if you had any beans left?" Gohan asked timidly.

"I wish I could help Gohan. I gave all my beans to your dad before the fight." Korin replied sadly before an idea struck him.

"Hold on a sec." Gohan watched as Korin walked over to the corner and gave what looked like a pile of clothes a good kick. Suddenly, a yelp rang out and Yajirobe jumped up and began rubbing his leg furiously.

"What was that for?" He asked indignantly.

"Are you still stealing beans and keeping them under your pillow when you think I'm not looking?" Korin asked calmly. Yajirobe turned red.

"I wouldn't do that." He said defensively.

"Listen you big oaf, Gohan needs a bean. Look at him over there. He's sick and he's going to fight the androids, so he needs them a lot more than you do. Give him what you have." Korin instructed angrily.

"I only have two." Yajirobe admitted as he turned and reached under his pillow.

"Give them here." Korin answered. He wasn't surprised, but he did have to admit that it was a good thing these ones had stayed behind.

"Here you go kid." Korin said as he handed the beans to Gohan. Gohan was so relieved that he allowed his shaky legs to give out and fell onto the floor in a siting position. Korin watched with concern as the boy greedily ate a bean.

"Jeez kid, you should probably rest even with that bean." Korin told him. But as Gohan regained his colour and stood up, Korin noticed something he hadn't noticed before.

"Perhaps training would be a good idea Gohan. I'm going to tell you something but you have to promise to tell no one else what I'm about to tell you." Gohan looked at Korin with interest.

"I promise." Gohan answered.

"Go up to the look out above and see Mr. Popo. Tell him you want to train in the hyperbolic time chamber. He'll know what that means. Get your training done quickly and help your friends." Korin said as he walked over to the edge of the tower.

"The hyperbolic time chamber?" Gohan asked curiously.

"Yes. It's a special room where you can get much training done in little time. Mr. Popo can explain it to you." Korin answered.

"Does my dad know about this room?" Gohan asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he did. Your father has done quite a bit of training up there." Korin replied. Gohan smiled.

"Thank you Master Korin. I appreciate all your help." Gohan bowed down and then flexed his fingers. He felt normal again. Well…almost. This burning desire to train and explore his newfound power was definitely not normal for him.

"Don't sweat it kid." Korin answered as he walked out of the room. Gohan turned and flew up to towards the lookout, flying through the clouds as he mulled over what Korin had told him. He landed on the edge, not wanting to startle anyone who might be there.

"Mr. Popo?" Gohan called out. He began to walk towards the building when a black figure stood up from behind one of the bushes.

"Can I help you?" Popo asked with an emotionless gaze.

"I don't know if you remember me, my name is Gohan. I'm Goku's son." Gohan bowed down and then returned his gaze to Mr. Popo, who hadn't moved an inch since his arrival.

"What can I do for you Gohan?" Mr. Popo asked.

"Well, I was just sick and now I need to train to get my strength back so I can help my dad and the others fight the androids. Master Korin said to ask you about a hyperbolic time chamber?" Gohan hoped that this time chamber could help him train quickly like he'd been told. He thought about Namek and all the lives that had been lost while they'd been there. He couldn't bear to think of something like that happening again here on earth.

"The hyperbolic time chamber…are you sure you are capable of training under such harsh conditions? " Mr. Popo asked.

"I can do it I'm sure of it! Please Mr. Popo I need to train and develop my strength so I can help protect the planet from these androids. I can't let what happened on Namek happen here too." Mr. Popo thought about Kame and sighed.

"It is best that you not do an entire day alone in there given your age. Half a day will be plenty. Make the most of it. " Mr. Popo replied. Gohan smiled.

"Oh thank you Mr. Popo!" Gohan cried excitedly.

"Do not thank me yet young one. The hyperbolic time chamber is a challenging place." Gohan frowned.

"Of course."

"Follow me." Mr. Popo turned on his heel and headed toward the building ahead. He brought Gohan to a door and paused as he grasped the handle.

"Watch the time, and come out in six months." Gohan looked at him in shock.

"Six months?" He asked nervously.

"Six months in the time chamber is the equivalent to twelve hours here. " Mr. Popo told him.

"Whoa." Gohan couldn't believe he was going to squeeze six months of training into twelve hours. It was incredible!

"Good luck." Mr. Popo opened the door and motioned for Gohan to go in. Gohan gulped, but walked forward into a white haze.

…

"Goku we need a plan." Piccolo said quickly.

"He's right. We can't fight like this. We won't win." Tien added.

"Okay, so let's buy some time." Goku stated as he watched Sixteen approach. "They've said they only want me. I'm going to disappear. Meet me at the look out." The others nodded as Sixteen growled and sped up. Goku put two fingers to his head and disappeared just as Sixteen's fist was about to connect with his jaw. The others jumped, surprised at the android's speed.

"He's gone." Seventeen said non-plussed. Sixteen straightened up and looked around.

"Goku is no longer in the area." He said in a monotone voice. Seventeen scowled.

"Yeah we figured that out thanks." He muttered.

"I will check the residence of Son Goku and his known locations." Sixteen continued. Krillin paled.

"Guys, Chichi, Bulma and Gohan are there. We have to protect them!" He muttered in panic.

"We have to get there first. Lets hurry and evacuate them and bring them to the lookout." Piccolo said quietly. Everyone except Vegeta nodded. The group took off into the air, determined to get to Goku's family before the androids arrived. Vegeta huffed and stayed put with the androids. He wanted no part in this rescue mission.

Piccolo turned in time to see Seventeen and Sixteen eyeing them critically, but the androids made no move to follow. He thought of Gohan and pushed himself to fly faster. The others sped up to keep up with him.

'We're coming Gohan.' He thought to himself.

…

Mr. Popo watched the time, wondering if the young saiyan was okay in the chamber. It had bothered him that he was alone and requesting such a difficult task. The hours ticked forward and Mr. Popo kept an eye on the door as he tended to the garden. It was this distraction that caused him to jump in fright when Goku suddenly appeared beside him.

"Sorry Mr. Popo, I didn't mean to startle you." Goku replied sheepishly.

"Goku! My goodness I wasn't expecting you." Mr. Popo said in surprise.

"The androids are stronger than we thought. We needed a safe place to think of a plan to finish this. I hope you don't mind." Goku replied.

"Of course not. I thought you were here to meet the boy." Mr. Popo said as he looked at the door once more.

"What boy?" Goku asked confused.

"Well yours of course." Mr. Popo responded.

"My boy? What are you talking about?" Goku asked.

"Gohan should be arriving any minute now. I expected him to come out sooner than this but it looks as though he's making the most of his time." Mr. Popo replied vaguely. Goku struggled to remain calm.

" I don't know what you're talking about but my son is at home in bed." Goku said. But as he went to question further, a noise behind them made him turn.

"He's done." Mr. Popo answered. Both of them watched as a door swung open.

A boy emerged, clothes torn and his skin bruised and bloody. He'd grown a bit, his shirt now too short in the arms and midriff and his pant legs sitting above his ankles. A tired smile was on his face as he walked out and stopped suddenly.

"Dad, you're here." Gohan was surprised to see his father gaping at him. Was the fight over? Goku didn't say a word as he stared at his son, too stunned to speak.

"How did it go?" Mr. Popo asked.

"That's quite a room." Gohan said as he chuckled nervously still looking at his father.

"Did you get your training done?" Mr. Popo wanted to know.

"I did. It was hard at first, I've never trained by myself before…but I remembered the exercises I did with my dad and Piccolo." Gohan looked at his father, nervousness turning to fear.

"Are you okay Dad?" He watched as his father slowly walked towards him, then grabbed him into a bone-crushing hug.

"I wasn't sure I'd see you again." Goku whispered into his son's shoulder. Gohan's heart sank.

"Gosh Dad I'm sorry I scared you." Goku squeezed his eyes shut, trying to regain control of himself as he took a step back.

"What's going on?" Goku deflected, instead taking in his son's battered appearance.

"Why don't I make some lunch." Mr. Popo suggested.

"Yes please. I'll explain everything Dad." Gohan said with a smile. Goku could only nod as he followed his son through the corridor. He felt joy, relief, confusion, happiness, and shock all at once. His son was alive…


	15. Chapter 15

Ch. 15

Piccolo stepped down in front of the Son house, the rest of the gang following suit a moment later. He couldn't sense Gohan's energy inside the house and it worried him. Were they too late?

"I can't sense him." Krillin said out loud. All kinds of horrible scenarios began to play in his mind. He couldn't imagine the pain his best friend would endure if he lost his son.

"Come on." Piccolo said as he walked towards the house. He refused to believe the worst until he saw proof. He knocked three times on the door, and was surprised when it opened right away.

"Gohan!" Bulma shouted before noticing that it was not Gohan knocking. Her face fell as she eyed the group standing in front of her.

"Sorry guys. I thought it was Gohan coming back." She said as she crossed her arms and sighed with disappointment.

"What do you mean coming back? Where is he?" Yamcha asked.

"We don't know. The last time we saw him he was fast asleep in his room. He struggled just to sit up and stay awake. It doesn't make sense that he could even leave at all… But Chichi just went in to check on him and he's gone. She's a mess." Bulma explained.

"We'll find him. But for now, the two of you need to come with us. It's not safe here." Trunks told her.

"Okay, let me get Chichi." Bulma hurried inside the house, followed by Trunks. Piccolo and the rest of the Z fighters waited outside.

"Where could he have gone? You don't think he would go to the androids do you?" Yamcha asked the group.

"We would have sensed him." Tien replied.

"Maybe Goku picked him up?" Krillin wondered out loud.

"Let's go find out. We'll take these two to the look-out." Piccolo answered. The others nodded as Bulma came out with a tearful Chichi, followed by Trunks.

"Okay we're ready." Bulma said as she looked at the group expectantly. Yamcha went to take a step forward but Trunks grabbed his mother's arm before he could even ask.

"I'll take you." He said quickly.

"I'll take you Chichi if that's alright?" Tien said respectfully. Chichi only nodded sadly as more tears slid down her cheeks.

"Let's hurry." Piccolo told the group as he took off towards the look-out. The others followed, all of them wondering where Gohan could be.

…

"Alright tell me everything." Goku said to his son. He'd patiently waited for Gohan to eat, not touching any of the food himself, which shocked Gohan to the core. His dad not eating? That was a bad sign.

"Well, at first I woke up but I couldn't open my eyes or move. I was in and out like that for a little while. Then I managed to open my eyes. I couldn't stay awake for long but I felt stronger every time I woke up. When I was able to stay awake for longer I noticed something…odd." Gohan squirmed uncomfortably.

"What is it? Tell me Gohan." Goku coaxed.

"Well, I felt this new power. I felt like even though I was really weak from being sick, I was stronger at the same time. I know it doesn't make sense…but I felt like I needed to train. It was all I could think about- training to see what this new power was and how far I could go. I'd never felt anything like it." Goku frowned as he tried to figure out what Gohan was describing. Gohan took that as a sign to continue.

"I decided I just had to find out. So I took Nimbus to Korin Tower to see if Master Korin had any sensu beans so I could get my strength back. He told me about the hyperbolic time chamber while I was taking a bean. So I came up here, and Mr. Popo let me train there for six months! Or twelve hours I guess…" Gohan finished.

"So let me get this straight…" Goku said sternly. Gohan gulped.

"You could barely walk, you snuck out of your room leaving your mother to worry when you'd been really sick and you went into the hyperbolic time chamber alone?" Gohan hung his head guiltily.

"Yes." Goku raked a hand through his spiky hair in frustration. Gohan waited for him to continue, but instead the young saiyan watched his father stand up and walk out of the room. Gohan felt his heart sink. His father had never walked out on him like that before.

"He's pretty mad huh?" Gohan said to Mr. Popo who was clearing the dishes away.

"You worried him Gohan. I've known your father for a long time, and I've never known him to feel much fear. It probably doesn't sit well with him." Popo replied. Gohan felt awful; he'd just wanted to help.

"What should I do?" He asked sadly.

"I can't tell you that. But might I suggest getting cleaned up and changed? I've taken out some clothes for you just over there." Popo pointed to a bench where a fresh gi and undershirt lay folded neatly.

"Thank you Mr. Popo. I appreciate it." Gohan said honestly as he walked over to the clothes.

…

Piccolo looked ahead as he felt Goku's energy from the lookout. It was fluctuating in a way that Piccolo wasn't used to- as though the saiyan was frustrated or angry. Piccolo wondered what that was about.

"Think Goku knows about Gohan?" Krillin asked from beside Piccolo.

"Yeah I do." Piccolo said as he looked back at the others. They seemed to be keeping up, although the women looked absolutely terrified. Piccolo figured they could handle speeding up a little bit.

"Come on." He told Krillin as he pushed himself a bit faster.

…

"We must find Son Goku." Sixteen stated as he scanned the area. Seventeen glared at him as he poked Eighteen in irritation.

"Wake up. You've slept enough for one day." He muttered. As she opened her eyes, he straightened up and crossed his arms.

"Have a nice nap did you?" He spat at her.

"What happened?" Eighteen asked as she rubbed her head. She couldn't remember the fight and that bothered her.

"He blindsided you. And you fell for it." Seventeen said angrily. Eighteen frowned.

"Damn. I know that attack." She said to herself.

"Yes you do. And you should have known better. He could have finished you off." Seventeen remarked.

"Don't exaggerate. He might have surprised me but I still could have finished him!" Eighteen shouted indignantly.

"Right, while unconscious? That's quite a skill." Seventeen said rolling his eyes.

"Shut up." Eighteen said as she got up and brushed off her clothes.

"We must find Son Goku." Sixteen repeated. Eighteen looked over at him in surprise.

"He's up." She stated as she took in his bizarre appearance.

"And annoying." Seventeen replied.

"We must…" Sixteen started again.

"Find Son Goku we got it." Eighteen muttered as she looked around.

"Well I want to have some fun, and since the two of you have been monkeying around, I've decided we're going to steal a car and drive there." Seventeen stated with glee.

"Drive? That will take forever." Eighteen whined.

"Where's your sense of adventure?" Seventeen said as he flew up in search of a vehicle.

"In my other pants." Eighteen muttered as she followed with a pout. Sixteen followed the pair in silence, his scanners taking in the environment around him quietly.

…

Goku stared over the edge of the look-out as he struggled with himself. No one had ever been able to rile him up like this the way his son did. Usually he was always able to stay calm and yet, Gohan was always putting himself in harms way. He didn't listen, he didn't rest…but he had good intentions; he wanted to train so he could help them fight the androids. But at what cost to himself? His head and now his heart…Goku struggled as he worried about his son's health but felt excitement about his new power at the same time. When Gohan had walked out of that chamber…wow! He'd been so different. At the time, Goku had just felt shock that he was alive and well, but now he wondered just how strong his boy had become. He couldn't believe Gohan had been in the time chamber…he remembered how much he'd struggled in there as a child.

Lost in his thoughts, Goku didn't hear Gohan walk up behind him.

"Dad? I'm really sorry." Goku closed his eyes and brought himself back to the present. He crossed his arms as he turned to face Gohan who was looking ashamed and nervous.

"Sit down Gohan." Gohan did as he was told and sat down on the tiled floor. Goku followed suit.

"You know when I was growing up, there was no one looking out for me or worrying about me. I did what I wanted, when I wanted and didn't think twice about it. I went on all kinds of adventures and travelled everywhere. Nothing bad ever happened to me, but I guess looking back, I was pretty reckless." Goku chuckled. Gohan looked up, surprised at his dad's light tone.

"Sounds kind of lonely." Gohan remarked.

"Well, I was always meeting new people. I hung out with Bulma, and Yamcha and Krillin, and trained with master Roshi. I made good friends along the way. But I never really considered that anyone would be worrying about me when I took off. It didn't really occur to me. But then you came along, and I realize now that all those times that I left people behind, they must have felt what I feel now: fear, worry, maybe frustration… and I realize that if I had known I was making them feel that way, I might have been a bit more considerate." Goku admitted.

"I'm so sorry dad. I didn't want to worry you or mom. I just wanted to help you guys fight the androids. I often think about all the people who died on Namek with Frieza and I just…I couldn't bear the thought of that happening here." Gohan said as he clenched his fists.

"You know, I always thought you were more like your mom. But right now, I definitely see me." Goku said with a chuckle as he patted Gohan on the shoulder. Gohan looked up.

"So you're not mad anymore?" He asked timidly. Goku sighed.

"Gohan you make me feel things that I've never felt before. And it frustrates me…and I don't get frustrated." Gohan looked down again.

"But…" Goku said as he ruffled his son's hair.

"I am really curious about this new power of yours." Goku finished with a grin. Gohan looked up and smiled.

"I knew it." He laughed.

"You did not!" Goku said playfully as he stood up.

"I did. I knew you'd want to hear all about it! " Gohan said happily.

"Well save that thought. The others are almost here and they've brought your mother." Gohan's eyes widened in fear.

"Wh-what? Mom's here?" Gohan stammered.

"Yeah, you might not live to tell your tale." Goku said as he slapped his son on the back. Gohan paled.

"Would it be inconsiderate of me to hide?" He asked his father as he took a few steps back.

"Yes it would." Goku replied trying not to laugh. Gohan gulped and stood nervously looking out past the edge of the look-out.

"All that training and I'm still dead." He whispered to himself as the Z fighters came into view.

"Gohan!" Krillin shouted happily. Gohan smiled shyly as the group landed.

"GOHAN!' Chichi let go of Tien's arm and hurried over to grab Gohan into a fierce hug. Bulma grinned as Trunks set her down.

"Did you pick him up Goku? You could have at least told us." Bulma said as she shook her head.

"I didn't bring him here." Goku said. The others looked at Gohan in surprise.

"So Gohan, tell me how you went from deathly ill, to stronger and taller?" Krillin asked as Chichi pulled away.

"Yes young man do you have any idea how worried we were? You have some explaining to do!" Chichi scowled as she crossed her arms angrily.

"I know. I'm sorry." Gohan mumbled. He looked around at the Z fighters who all seemed excited to see him alive and well, all except Piccolo who was scowling almost as much as his mother was. Gohan quickly averted his eyes by looking down at his feet.

"Well, are you going to wait for those androids to join us or are you going to tell us how you managed to even leave your bedroom?" Bulma asked impatiently with a teasing gleam in her eye.

"It wasn't easy." Gohan admitted as he blushed. When nobody said a word, he continued.

"When I had regained enough energy I got up and walked to the window. I was able to jump out, but then I was drained. Nimbus brought me over to Korin Tower so I could get a sensu bean." Gohan explained quietly.

"And just what was the hurry Gohan? Why couldn't you just rest a little longer?" Chichi asked in frustration.

"It's kind of hard to explain mom…" Gohan answered sheepishly.

"And you're telling me you had nothing to do with this Goku?" Chichi spat as she put her hands on her hips.

"I swear Chichi he did this all on his own." Goku said backing up a bit.

"Right. So it's just good timing that you're both up here, he's wearing fighting clothes and looks like he's been training for weeks? Right when there are monsters to fight down there?" Chichi said as she took a few steps towards Goku angrily. Goku took a few more steps back.

"Ya, actually that's about right." Goku said as he rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously. Gohan walked up to his mother timidly.

"Mom I'm sorry. Dad had nothing to do with it, really. I shouldn't have sneaked out. I can't really explain why I did it, but I want you to know that I really am sorry." Gohan hung his head, and Chichi looked about to say something when Vegeta piped up from behind Piccolo, making everyone jump as they had not noticed his arrival.

"It's not that hard to explain boy. You are a saiyan; , a near-death experience can lead to a boost in power. It's in your blood. You felt this power and you just had to test it." Vegeta crossed his arms and scowled.

"Of course…" Goku said as he realized that Vegeta was right. Every time that he'd almost died himself, he'd always noticed that going that close to the edge had brought about a new level of raw might. It only made sense that Gohan would experience the same thing. It was the first time that Gohan had really come this close to dying. The thought made Goku shiver slightly.

"So you're saying that he's gotten taller, built and stronger because he was sick?" Chichi asked Vegeta incredulously.

"No, he's built and strong because he's been training. I'd like to know how he managed to do such intensive training in such a short amount of time Kakarot." Vegeta asked suspiciously.

"I think we need to come up with a plan to defeat the androids." Goku said evasively.

"They're too strong. They're stamina is just incredible…" Krillin said, defeated.

"It's a shame that we don't have the dragon balls to fall back on." Tien remarked.

"Without a guardian, there can be no dragon balls." Mr. Popo confirmed.

"That's it!" Goku exclaimed excitedly. Everyone turned towards him in surprise.

"We'll get a new guardian! I'm sure one of the Namekians will agree to come to earth and help us out."

"That doesn't help us defeat the androids." Piccolo pointed out.

"No, you're right. But a having a guardian who can create dragon balls might help us out later on if we run into trouble. And it will be an advantage to have someone up here keeping an eye on things." Goku answered.

"It would be wonderful to have a guardian up here again." Mr. Popo said with a smile.

"Alright, it's settled. I'll be back in a sec." Goku put two fingers to his forehead and began to concentrate. When he'd located the energy he'd been looking for, he disappeared.

"Well, I guess we'll come up with a plan of attack when he gets back." Yamcha said with a yawn.

"Don't get too comfortable." Piccolo answered.


	16. Chapter 16

Ch. 16

 _Hello everyone! I apologize, I've really had a bit of writing fever lately and got excited about getting some new chapters up. In my haste, I didn't realize I made a bit of an error with our guardian of the earth situation. In chapter 10, Piccolo asks the guardian of the earth to help him locate the androids. He says "Dende" but that is meant to be Kami. I've changed it. Then I wrote the last couple of chapters as though Kami was gone, forgetting to mention he had fused with Piccolo! I've edited chapters 14 & 15 to reflect that mistake. So before reading this one, please re-read chapter 14 &15\. I've added to the story. Sorry about that! And thank you to the reader who gave me the heads up. Guess that's what happens when you wait too long between posts. :p_

"You really look great Gohan." Bulma said as she walked up to the boy and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry for worrying you guys. I just wanted to help." Gohan answered sincerely.

"I'm just happy to see you looking so healthy! That was one hell of a virus." Bulma looked up and locked eyes with Vegeta. Both looked away hurriedly.

"There's something different about you Bulma." Gohan said as he looked at Bulma more closely.

"What? I don't know what you're talking about Gohan." Bulma answered blushing. It took everything she had not to put her hand on her belly.

"I can sense energies Bulma" Gohan finally told her with a smile.

"So can everyone else. What's your point?" Bulma said with false bravado. She couldn't believe Gohan had figured it out. Nobody else had even looked at her funny! Why would he be able to sense it and no one else?

"Well, I've been doing some special training…I'm so happy for you." Gohan smiled as he looked at his mother who had come up beside them.

"Did you tell him? While he was sleeping or something?" She asked Chichi in a heated whisper.

"No, I didn't say a word. Gohan has always been perceptive. He gets that from me." Chichi answered as she put her hand on Gohan's shoulder. Bulma looked around at the others who weren't paying much attention and pulled Gohan aside.

"I'm not ready for the others to know yet Gohan. I need you to keep it a secret, okay?" Gohan nodded.

"I won't tell anyone. I promise." Bulma crossed her arms as she looked over at Vegeta again.

"Thank you Gohan." Gohan followed her gaze and hid a giggle behind his hands. Bulma blushed as Chichi pushed Gohan away from Bulma. When they were out of earshot, Chichi got down on her knees in front of her son.

"Gohan you really scared me, you know that?" Gohan looked like he wanted to speak, but Chichi put a finger on his lips to stop him.

"I'm not finished." Gohan nodded at her to continue.

"What you did was irresponsible, dangerous, and very inconsiderate to me and Bulma, whom you now know is in a fragile condition. Just because your father takes off without a moment's thought doesn't mean you can do it too. He's a man, but you're still a boy. And no matter how strong you get, I'm still your parent." Gohan felt like he was getting smaller as he stared into his mother's glare.

"You've seriously injured your head, and then your heart almost gave out…and here you are juiced up and ready to put yourself in danger yet again. And I…" Chichi's voice broke as she wiped a tear from her eye. How had she gone from angry to blubbering? No wonder her son didn't take her seriously. She was angry at herself for being so emotional.

"I know mom. Dad told me the same thing. I really am sorry for taking off the way I did. And I know you're worried, but something happened to me after I woke up from that virus. I have this power…" Gohan was excited to tell someone about what he had discovered in the hyperbolic time chamber, but he was interrupted by a loud 'pop' sound, and then Goku appeared in front of the group behind them with a small namekian at his feet.

"He's just a small boy." Chichi commented before heading towards the group. Gohan felt a bit disappointed at being interrupted, but stood surprised when he recognized the small namekian who was looking a bit nervous.

"Guys, this is Dende. He's agreed to be our new guardian. Dende, this is everyone. And I think you'll remember my son, Gohan." Goku pointed in Gohan's direction. Gohan felt a burst of excitement as he ran over to Dende for a hug. Dende mirrored Gohan's excitement, happy to see his friend again after everything that happened on Namek.

"It's so good to see you Gohan!" Dende exclaimed when the two broke apart.

"So you're really going to be our new guardian?" Gohan asked in awe.

"Yep." Dende responded.

"That's great! We can see each other all the time!" Gohan exclaimed.

"I'd like that." Dende smiled.

"Being guardian is a big responsibility Dende. It's not all fun and games. Are you sure you're up to such a difficult task?" Piccolo asked gruffly. Gohan looked over at Piccolo inquisitively.

"Of course he is! They told me he's one of the brightest Namekians on the planet! He'll make an excellent guardian." Goku replied with his hand on Dende's shoulder. Dende blushed.

"I'll certainly do my best." Dende answered.

"Can you create some dragon balls for us Dende?" Tien asked.

"I'm pretty sure I should be able to make some dragon balls within 100 days." Dende said with a smile.

"Oh no… we really can't wait that long." Goku replied, disappointed. Dende's face fell as he became aware of the sudden tension and anxiety amongst the group.

"Hold on, if you still have the old dragon balls and the model of the dragon, then I should be able to do it right away." Dende said enthusiastically.

"Alright!" Goku replied excitedly.

"The old dragon balls are scattered across the earth, turned into stone." Piccolo told him.

"I've got the dragon model in my room." Mr. Popo offered.

"Hey Dende, what about wishes? Can you make it grant three just like on Namek?" Krillin asked. Dende turned towards him with a smile.

"Sure." Krillin pumped his fist.

"What about it's power? This isn't Namek, and with three wishes the dragon might be…weakened. We might have some massive loss of life with all four fighters down there." Piccolo asked. Dende thought about it.

"What kind of wish are you thinking about?" He asked Piccolo.

"I'm thinking, could we hypothetically wish for all those killed by the androids to be returned to life?" Piccolo stated. Dende's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"Well…all I have to do is re-channel some of it's energy into it's wishing power. But that way it can only grant two wishes each time." He told the group. Gohan stared at his friend in wonder.

"Wow, you can really do all that?" He asked in surprise. He couldn't believe Dende had that kind of power. He'd been excited about his new abilities but man, he couldn't do anything like that.

"Uh huh." Dende confirmed.

"That will do. Make the dragon like that Dende. We don't have much time." Piccolo stated. Dende nodded.

"I'll try my best. Should I start then?" He asked as he looked around. Piccolo looked over at Mr. Popo.

"Can you get us the dragon model please Mr. Popo?" He asked the genie.

"Of course." Mr. Popo said turning away from the group. When he had returned, he was holding a stone dragon atop a plush purple and gold cushion. The dragon was very detailed, a perfect model of Shenron as the group knew him.

"I made this dragon myself. Careful now." Mr. Popo said as he handed the dragon over to the young guardian. Dende took it carefully, taking in the details as he scanned every inch.

"What an interesting shape." He told Mr. Popo. Setting it down, he put out his hands, ready to get to work. Everyone watched with interest, Goku smiling confidently at the young boy while Piccolo frowned, on edge. Everyone knew what was at stake. Without hesitation, Dende began chanting in Namekian and the dragon suddenly lit up in a blinding light. Chichi and Bulma hid their faces as the light shot out of the model dragon heading in seven different directions. When the light had faded, Dende put his hands down.

"It's all done. The dragon balls are ready to be collected, and can be used right away." Dende told the group happily.

"Already?" Gohan exclaimed.

"That's great news." Trunks said with a smile. Piccolo looked over at Dende with a proud smile. Some part of him, and he knew it was the part of him fused with Nail, felt a strong, almost fatherly pride towards the young guardian before him.

"I think it's time to make a plan now Goku." Tien said. Everyone became more serious as they focused on what needed to be done.

"Yes, you're right." Goku answered.

"Now wait just a minute. If Kakarot's son got intensive training in a short time somehow, I think the rest of us should train as well." Vegeta said from behind Tien.

"Okay, here's the plan." Goku started ignoring Vegeta's comment. Everyone turned towards him.

"We need to gather the dragon balls. They're our safety net and we have to make sure we have them in case we need them. A couple of us are going to need to take Bulma's radar and gather them and bring them here." Everyone nodded.

"Then, a couple of us are going to need to go down there. We know how powerful the androids are. We need to know how powerful this fourth person is. We're going to have to find them and scope them out. We also need to make sure none of those four find out about the look-out and end up here." Once again, everyone nodded. Yamcha and Krillin paled at the last part, hoping they wouldn't be the ones scoping out the enemy. Gohan frowned and looked at his father before speaking up.

"From the sounds of it these guys are strong. I don't think we're going to be able to fight them as we are." Gohan stated. Everyone looked at him in surprise.

"Gohan…" Krillin said in shock, surprised that Goku's son could be so negative.

"I think we should take turns training in the hyperbolic time chamber. We need to be at our best if we're going to defeat them." Gohan continued.

"What makes you think we can get that much stronger?" Trunks asked honestly.

"Because there's a level higher than super saiyan. And I know I can achieve it. And I'm sure I'm not the only one." Gohan answered with a smile. Vegeta angrily stepped forward.

"How dare you! You have not even achieved the legendary saiyan transformation! You have no idea how powerful it is. This isn't the time for a child's nonsense." Vegeta was red in the face as he finished his furious response. Gohan didn't speak, but instead took several steps back.

"He didn't…" Goku muttered as he watched his earlier suspicions be confirmed.

"Gohan what are you doing?" Krillin asked.

"He couldn't have." Piccolo whispered as Gohan bent down and closed his eyes.

"What's he doing?" Chichi asked Bulma, who merely shrugged. Everyone watched as Gohan's face contorted angrily, and suddenly his eyes burst open and a light surrounded him. He began to shout, his energy skyrocketing as his shouts got louder. The young saiyan began to fly up, his hair going back and forth between black and a platinum blonde. Goku watched the process intensely. His son was using up so much power but he just might do it. What if he didn't need to…An idea struck him and he looked back up at Gohan with a huge grin. Gohan continued to power up, his hair suddenly turning completely blonde and staying that way, his eyes turning an aqua color that had an incredible intensity to them and his body becoming even more built and solid. In a flash, the power up ended, and Gohan slowly descended, surrounded by a glow that everyone was now familiar with having seen Goku, Vegeta and Trunks in the same state. No one spoke as Gohan landed back on the ground. Chichi promptly fainted into Bulma's arms.

"Impossible." Vegeta stammered.

"Incredible." Piccolo said with a proud smile.

"How is this even possible?" Krillin asked out loud.

"Another super saiyan?" Yamcha asked in awe.

"He looks so intense." Tien commented quietly. Gohan didn't say a word as he surveyed the group with a frown. He knew he needed to get back into the chamber with his father. He was struggling as Goku had struggled on Namek and on Yardrat. He couldn't quite control his emotions, and this troubled him. Often he had trouble getting out of his super saiyan state because of this. But while in the super saiyan state, he felt a pull. Like he could go further if he really wanted to. It was this pull that lead him to believe that there was more.

"I'm telling you Vegeta, there's more." Gohan stated in a voice very different from his usual one. It was a bizarre thing to witness; a boy with the intensity of a man. He held a permanent scowl, and appeared to be in control but Goku recognized that he was anything but. He was struggling, and Goku knew how to help him. But he didn't want to do it in front of everyone. Without a word, he transformed himself much to everyone's surprise.

"Goku you're not serious." Krillin stated as he watched his best friend suddenly mirror his son.

"This isn't the time Goku!" Trunks said in dismay.

"Up." Goku told his son. Gohan nodded. He knew his father understood that he needed help changing back. Everyone panicked as the saiyan father and son duo moved upwards.

"They look so different." Bulma remarked as she held Chichi's head close to her.

"They can't fight now. We have to get the dragon balls and stall the androids and…" Krillin began to panic.

'It can't be.' Vegeta thought to himself. It had taken him a lifetime to achieve the legendary transformation! How could a child have achieved what he'd worked his whole life for in so little time? Could the brat be right? Could there be another step even further than super saiyan? If there was he just had to achieve it.

"They're not fighting." Krillin remarked as he waited for the blows and explosions that never came.

"I wonder what they're up to." Yamcha said as he looked up at the clouds where the saiyans previously stood.

…

Goku watched his son who was looking angry and restless. He'd always known his boy had a special power to him, but this was beyond his expectations. The power radiating off the young hybrid was mind blowing. He couldn't wait to test out Gohan's new powers. But it would have to wait.

"Okay Gohan, we're going to calm down now. I want you to think about Icarus. Can you do that for me Gohan?" Goku said as Gohan clenched his fists and closed his eyes.

"I can try." Gohan said as he tried with all his might to think of his pet dragon. As soon as he had focused enough on his mental image of Icarus, he began to relax slowly. He thought about when he first met Icarus, and how his dad had created a home for him in a nearby cave. He thought about what it felt like to fly with Icarus and how happy he was when he played with him. Bit by bit, he became calmer, the tension leaving his neck and his fists loosening.

"That's it Gohan. Keep it up. And when you feel ready, just drop it, like this." Goku relaxed his body and dropped his transformation. Gohan watched, then closed his eyes again and tried to drop his own. After several more minutes, his blonde hair once again turned black and his eyes returned to their natural color. His body went back to normal, and Goku hurried forward as Gohan began to fall a bit from exhaustion.

"If you were looking to shock everyone, you succeeded." Goku said as he caught his son by the arms.

"That part was fun." Gohan said with a tired smile. Goku let him go.

"You have a lot of work to do before you master it, but wow Gohan. I'm so impressed." Goku beamed as the two saiyans dropped back down to where everyone was waiting for them.

"Will you train me in the hyperbolic time chamber dad?" Gohan asked.

"Yes I will. Prepare yourself Gohan." Goku said just before they landed on the ground.

"Gohan that was amazing!" Yamcha exclaimed when the two had landed.

"How did you learn to do that?" Krillin wanted to know.

"Okay guys, I think Gohan's right. We'll break up into groups. Two of us will get the dragon balls, and a few of us will go check out the situation below. In the meantime, we'll also cycle through the hyperbolic time chamber in pairs. If that's okay with our new guardian?" Goku said as he turned towards Dende.

"Of course. Whatever it takes to keep the earth safe." Dende answered.

"To be honest Goku, there are a few of us who probably won't increase in power as much as you saiyans. You guys should probably go first." Tien said honestly.

"Yamcha and I can gather the dragon balls." Krillin volunteered. Yamcha smiled and nodded in agreement.

"The radar is in my desk drawer, the top one, back at the office." Bulma told them. She handed them a small gold key.

"I can go check out our friends on earth." Piccolo stated.

"I'll go with you." Tien offered.

"Okay. Meanwhile, the chamber takes two at a time. I'll go with Gohan, Vegeta can go with Trunks, and Piccolo I think you should go in as well." Goku said as he looked at the group.

"I'll go when I get back." Piccolo said as he looked at Tien. The two turned and flew off in search of their new enemy.

"We'll head out too. Good luck with your training." Krillin said as he and Yamcha left for Bulma's office. Goku nodded to them and turned towards Bulma and Chichi, who was starting to wake up.

"You two should probably stay up here for the time being. Those androids are looking for me and might use you to get to me. Better to be safe." Goku said. Bulma nodded, and Goku approached his wife.

"Hey Chichi, everything's okay." Goku said crouching down and pushing a hair out of her face. Chichi looked up at him.

"Goku, do I even want to know what just happened?" She asked him as she pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"Probably not Chi." Goku answered with a chuckle. Chichi nodded and Goku helped her up into a standing position.

"You're going to stay up here for a while okay?"

"Sure. Are you going to fight them now? With Gohan?" Chichi asked fearfully.

"No, not yet. We're going to do some training first." Goku told her.

"I want to go first." Vegeta said as he stepped towards Goku aggressively.

"Go ahead." Goku acquiesced. Vegeta was momentarily surprised, but looked over at Mr. Popo impatiently.

"Show us to this time chamber." Vegeta snarled. Mr. Popo frowned, but turned away immediately.

"Follow me." He motioned.

"And I want to train alone." Vegeta demanded as he followed.

"No. We need to pair up. We don't have much time." Goku argued. Trunks looked at his father uncomfortably before following. He hadn't spent much time with the man, but he hoped that his father would train with him. Vegeta didn't argue, but didn't acknowledge Trunks either. For Trunks, that was a step in the right direction.

"Good luck." Gohan told Trunks as he headed towards the chamber. Trunks smiled at him. He appreciated that; he was probably going to need it.


	17. Chapter 17

Ch. 17

[On earth]

Piccolo was surprised to find that he felt nervous as he scanned the area. This monster that they were about to face could be the most powerful being they had ever encountered. The potential for his strength was unimaginable…It made him feel almost sick to think of what could happen if he were to absorb the androids. So far they'd found several quiet villages that looked quite bizarre with nothing but clothing littering the ground. Both he and Tien had shuddered at the thought that this monster was sucking the life-force right out of people, leaving almost nothing behind.

"We're getting closer, I can feel it." Tien said as they flew over yet another village devoid of people.

"We have to hurry. With every village this guy eliminates, he just gets stronger. We don't want him stumbling upon the androids." Piccolo said as he clenched his fists. Time really wasn't on their side and the others still had training to do, not to mention they hadn't even collected all the dragon balls yet... They were in big trouble.

"Up ahead, there. That village seems to have some activity!" Tien shouted excitedly as he pointed forward.

"Let's hurry." Piccolo said before speeding up.

…

[At the Lookout]

Gohan shook his head as looked down at the clouds below. He was getting antsy and didn't know how to calm himself. Krillin and Yamcha were gathering dragon balls, Piccolo and Tien were searching for the fourth enemy, Vegeta and Trunks were training and here he was doing…nothing. He couldn't stand the waiting around, not when the enemy was getting stronger with every passing minute. All he could think about was mastering the super saiyan form and achieving the next level. Time seemed to be ticking by ever so slowly and Gohan finally decided that he could wait no longer. If he couldn't yet train, he would help Krillin and Yamcha. As he put two fingers to his forehead, he heard someone walk up behind him.

"Hey Gohan, I brought you some tea." Bulma said before putting a hand on Gohan's arm. Gohan didn't turn around but muttered a thanks.

"Look kiddo, I know you're anxious to get to training but you have to relax. You're completely tense." Bulma said with concern. Gohan closed his eyes in frustration.

"I can't relax Bulma. People are dying down there! People are dying and I'm just standing here waiting around doing nothing. Of course I'm tense!" Bulma took a step back as Gohan's increased energy made the air hot around him.

"Gohan you're a brave kid, have I ever told you that?" Bulma asked. Gohan took a deep breath, guilt spreading through him at having yelled at her.

"I'm sorry Bulma. I shouldn't have snapped." Gohan said as he started to pace. Guilt, frustration, worry, impatience, the boy was filled with emotions that seemed to be raging a war inside him. Bulma wished she could soothe him, but how to soothe a child warrior?

"Gohan this stress that you're putting your mind and body through won't help you." Bulma stated.

"I can't control it." Gohan admitted as he stopped and raked a hand through his wild hair.

"You remind me so much of your mom." Bulma said with a smile. Gohan looked at her with sad eyes.

"It's my dad's calmness that would be more helpful." He said so quietly that Bulma barely heard it.

"Come here." Bulma said as she took a look around. When she saw no one looking their way, she grabbed Gohan's hand and put it on her stomach. Gohan's eyes went round as he felt how hard Bulma's stomach was.

"Do you feel that Gohan? There's a little life in there. I know it's hard not to think about the awful things happening on earth. But just remember that even though there are horrible things happening right now, there are also miracles happening too." Gohan didn't speak for a moment as he rubbed Bulma's belly ever so gently.

"A baby…Yamcha's?" Gohan asked. Bulma blushed and shook her head.

"Um no, it's not his." She answered vaguely.

"Do you feel the baby move yet Bulma?" Gohan asked curiously.

"Sometimes I feel like I do, but i'm not sure. It's still early." Bulma said with a smile. Gohan took his hand off her belly and took a few steps back. Bulma passed him his tea, and Gohan sat down on the floor to drink it. Bulma felt relief that she was able to help.

"You'll make a great mom Bulma." Gohan said after taking a long sip of tea.

"I sure hope so Gohan." Bulma answered as she hugged herself.

"You will." Gohan insisted. Bulma smiled

'I just hope I won't have to do it alone.' She thought to herself.

…

Goku watched from afar as Bulma attempted to soothe his son. He understood Gohan's feelings and felt the same way, but he knew that what they needed to do more than anything else was to get stronger. There was no other way to defeat the monsters that threatened their planet. Part of him wished he didn't need Gohan's help as much as he did. When was the last time his son had done anything carefree like fishing or playing with Icarus? Goku couldn't remember. Gohan was changing and he wondered if it was for the better. Would he become like Vegeta? Thirsty for power and battle? Or more like himself; a warrior who could be strong but gentle?

Just then, Goku watched as Bulma put Gohan's hand to her stomach. He saw Gohan's expression change to one of awe and wonder. He felt himself smile as he realized that his fears were unfounded. Gohan was his son, and he wouldn't forget what he was fighting for. As Gohan sat down to drink his tea Goku turned and walked a few feet away to meditate. This worrying and self-doubt was not helping and it wasn't like him to be like this. He needed to clear his mind and focus on what was to come. Goku reminded himself that he needed to trust that things would work out. They always did.

…

[On Earth]

Piccolo and Tien stopped in the air, unable to believe what they were seeing. It was total chaos as people ran for their lives. In the centre of the village they saw a green creature with a man trapped in its long tail. At the end of the tail was a big needle, and the needle was currently poked into the man's side as he screamed in agony. In seconds the man began to disappear, as though he was melting, until there was nothing left but the suit he had been wearing.

"Did you see that?" Tien gasped.

"It's…horrible." Piccolo acknowledged.

"Piccolo his energy doesn't seem that high. I think we could take him." Tien said angrily as he clenched his fists. He wanted to destroy this monster right away. He'd never wanted to beat an opponent as strongly as he did right now.

"Don't be reckless, I know this is horrifying but we can't jump the gun. I have a strong feeling that he's more powerful than he looks." Piccolo answered as he slowly dropped to the ground, out of the monster's sight, and lowered his energy. Tien frowned and closed his eyes in frustration as he did the same. Just as he landed, he felt something that made him start.

"Wait a minute, I think Goku's here." Tien said as he looked around. He could sense Goku's energy close by.

"I sense him too. But I thought he was training?" Piccolo wondered out loud. Both warriors scanned the area, but couldn't see the saiyan anywhere.

"Piccolo I think it's coming from the monster." Tien said in horror. Piccolo followed his gaze and realized he was right.

"You don't think he…?" Tien couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. For a moment he pictured Goku caught in that monster's tail, fading away until only his trademark orange gi remained. The thought made his stomach churn.

"How could he? Goku's at the lookout. He couldn't have." Piccolo said as he watched the monster grab an older woman and drain her. None of this made sense. It was so much more horrible than he had ever imagined. If this thing had absorbed Goku and the androids, they would be powerless. His fusion with Kami would have been for nothing.

**Piccolo Flashback**

Piccolo stood with his arms crossed waiting for Kami to speak. There was no other reason for him to want to speak to him alone except to consider fusing once again. Piccolo couldn't believe that Kami would even consider such a thing for those androids…they weren't that strong. Goku had some trouble, but with help from the others they could finish them. It didn't warrant the guardian giving up his place.

"Piccolo, I'll get straight to the point." Kami began.

"That would be wise." Piccolo replied in irritation.

"There's something about the fourth enemy that I didn't share with the others." Kami told him.

"And that is?" Piccolo asked.

"The fourth enemy that I spoke of earlier, when I discovered him it was really by accident. I noticed entire villages being killed and was able to link his presence to it. When I watched more closely, I realized how he was acquiring his power." Kami explained.

"We know the androids can absorb energy." Piccolo acknowledged.

"This is more than just taking energy, I'm afraid. He absorbs their entire life force. The stronger the human, the stronger he becomes." Piccolo's eyes widened.

"If he got ahold of one of us, that would be a real problem." Piccolo said slowly.

"Or, if he got ahold of those androids." Kami said, getting to the root of the problem.

"What?" Piccolo hadn't even considered that option. With endless stamina and such an increase in power, the being would be unstoppable.

"You see the problem then." Kami said as he regarded Piccolo with intensity.

"I'm still not sure this is the best solution." Piccolo argued.

"Goku alone couldn't stop him. The only one who could potentially do it is Gohan, and he can't be relied on." Kami responded.

"What do you mean?" Piccolo asked confused.

"You've seen the hidden power inside that boy. It is beyond measure. I sent him into the chamber in hopes that he could tap into some of it, and it seems he was successful in doing so. But he cannot bring it all out. A power like that requires a certain change deep within a person's being. Like a switch being flipped. His inner being would need to know darkness to bring his power forward, and being a child, he would never be the same. As a guardian, I cannot allow a soul so pure to be tainted. Therefore, you understand that we must do this." Kami explained. Piccolo felt torn. He knew Kami was right; he couldn't allow Gohan to take such a risk if things went south.

"On one condition." Piccolo said, resigned.

"That's very bold." Kami commented dryly.

"We use my body. Yours is old, and will only impede us." Piccolo stated. Kami's eyes widened. He stood in silence for a moment, indignant and frustrated and a little sad, but knowing it to be the truth nonetheless.

"Agreed." he said before he began the process. Both Piccolo and Kami stared into each other's eyes one last time with a bizarre combination of dislike and respect, before Kami's eyes flashed and the entire room lit up.

*End flashback*

"Piccolo did you hear me?" Tien asked. Piccolo shook himself and looked again at the village, which had been almost completely emptied now.

"Sorry what did you say?" Piccolo asked. Tien looked at Piccolo and crossed his arms.

"We need to make sure that Goku hasn't been absorbed. I think we should go back to the lookout." Piccolo nodded, then took one last look at the empty village before turning to take off.

"Let's hope he hasn't. Or else…" Piccolo didn't finish his sentence. Both warriors knew what would be in store.

…

[At the Lookout]

Dende stood over the edge of the lookout and easily found Piccolo and Tien. Locating another Namekian was much easier than finding a saiyan or a specific human. Once he'd found the two, he also noticed the horrible being that was nearby.

"Oh no! This is terrible." Dende began to shake as he saw what Piccolo and Tien were currently watching. Humans being absorbed of their life force, a village being emptied… He was about to go speak with Goku when something odd hit him. He could sense Goku down below. Dende turned around and saw Goku meditating not far away. He then returned his gaze in confusion to the being that was terrorizing the people in the village. How was it that he could sense Goku in two places at once? This didn't make any sense.

"Goku!" Dende said out loud. He heard the saiyan turn towards him with his excellent hearing.

"What's wrong Dende?" Goku asked in concern.

"There's something really strange with this monster." Dende replied. Goku slowly got up and joined him.

"What is it?" He asked as he peered out at the clouds.

"It's your energy. I can sense you here, but I can sense you down there as well. It almost feels like he's absorbed you." Dende said in shock. Goku's eyes widened in surprise.

"One sec." Goku closed his eyes and focused his concentration on the area where Dende was standing. He found Piccolo first, then Tien, then…Gohan.

"Gohan!" Dende exclaimed. Both the guardian and the saiyan looked around the lookout. They found Gohan speaking with his mother by the sanctuary.

"How can that be?" Goku asked in shock.

"I don't know. It's like he's down there but he's not." Dende answered.

"It looks like Piccolo and Tien are coming back. No doubt they've noticed the same thing." Goku responded.

"This looks bad." Dende said as he pondered what it could mean.

'Hurry up Vegeta' Goku thought to himself. They needed to get their training done, and fast.

…

Piccolo and Tien touched down in a hurry, looking around until they spotted Goku with Dende not too far away.

"Goku! You're here!" Tien exclaimed. Piccolo sighed in relief.

"We thought you'd been absorbed. We could sense your energy coming from the monster." Piccolo said as he walked over.

"I know. Dende could as well. And just now we sensed Gohan too but he's up here." Goku told them as he crossed his arms.

"What could this mean?" Tien asked. Nobody spoke for a moment as they all considered this new information. Gohan approached the group, wondering what the commotion was about.

"I intend to find out." Piccolo answered. Everyone turned to look at Piccolo in confusion.

"Have the dragon balls been gathered yet?" Piccolo asked Dende. Dende shook his head.

"Not yet." He answered. Piccolo looked over towards the edge of the lookout.

"I'm going to fight this guy." He stated. Everyone looked at him in surprise.

"You can't! Not yet." Tien said in surprise.

"I'm going to see if I can get him talking. We need to know why we can sense Goku and Gohan's energy from this monster." Piccolo answered.

"I'll go with you." Gohan said. Goku grabbed his shoulder.

"No you won't. We need to be here when Vegeta and Trunks come out so we can train." Goku responded. Gohan frowned.

"But that could be hours!" He exclaimed. Goku narrowed his eyes.

"And it could be minutes. We don't know. You were right before Gohan, we need to fight them at our best." Goku answered. Gohan sighed and nodded.

"Don't worry Gohan. I can handle it." Piccolo said to reassure him. Gohan didn't buy it.

"I'll go with you." Tien said. Piccolo shook his head.

"No, I think it's best that I go alone." Piccolo turned and walked away from the group.

"Piccolo." Goku called. Piccolo stopped and turned his head.

"Be careful." Piccolo nodded and flew off. Gohan watched in frustration, hating that he couldn't be with his mentor to help.

"We'll go help him when we can." Goku told his son.

"And I'll keep an eye on him." Dende said with a smile. Gohan nodded sadly.

…

[On Earth]

Piccolo pushed himself as fast as he could toward the village him and Tien had just been to. He hadn't wanted Tien to come back with him because he knew this monster would be strong. They needed to keep their numbers until everyone was ready to fight. It was the one edge they had at the moment.

As Piccolo scanned the ground below he thought about Gohan wanting to come with him. When had he grown so much and changed into a boy who wanted to fight, as opposed to a boy who wanted to run? Was it because he was now a super saiyan? Did that mean that he now thirsts for battle like Vegeta?

Lost in his thoughts, Piccolo landed and did not immediately notice that the village was completely empty. As he walked around distracted, his heart beat slightly faster when a voice called out to him quietly.

"Oh Piccolo. Looking for me?" Piccolo turned quickly and found the monster they were watching earlier staring into his eyes. He was unlike any creature that Piccolo had ever seen; two green horns jutted out from the top of his head. His eyes were yellow and his nose and mouth were connected, almost like a beak. His body was green and muscled, but also had a bizarre plant-like texture to it. He had two wings in the back, and looked very much like a giant insect. His thick tail wagged behind him, the needle at the end moving toward him menacingly.

"Who are you?" Piccolo asked as he crossed his arms. If he could just get the thing talking, then maybe they could learn enough to gain an advantage.

"My name is Cell." The monster volunteered with a smile. Piccolo frowned; maybe the monster wouldn't be giving much away after all.

"And how do you know my name?" Piccolo asked curiously.

"Oh, that's a long story Piccolo. Besides, that's not what you really want to ask me is it?" The monster asked gleefully. Piccolo was shocked, but did his best not to let on.

"Why can I sense other people's energies coming from you?" Piccolo asked vaguely.

"Well now, that's not very direct is it? I know you've been watching me so you know how I acquire my energy. No that's not what you want to ask. You want to ask why you can sense Goku right? Or perhaps young Gohan?" Piccolo's eyes widened. It was like this monster could read him like a book. This threw the Namekian warrior off completely. He'd always been able to hide his thoughts or feelings for the most part. He prided himself on being able to remain stoic and calm. But this monster knew things and it didn't sit well with him. Piccolo hadn't even learned anything new, and yet he felt that the situation had just gone from bad to much worse.

"Yes, I was wondering that." Piccolo replied cautiously. Cell took a step forward.

"Well now, I could tell you my story. Or not. I have some unfinished business to attend to actually." Cell began to turn away. Piccolo knew he had to act fast.

"You're looking for the androids." Piccolo responded. Cell stopped and turned his head. Now it was his turn to be surprised.

"How did you know that?" Cell wanted to know.

"Well I could tell you, or not." Piccolo said tauntingly.

"Nicely played. Alright, my curiosity has the best of me. I'll tell you my tale." Cell said eagerly. Piccolo had no doubt that the monster was excited to share the details of his existence with him. He seemed like that kind of character. This would work in their favour.

"However, your satisfaction will be short lived Piccolo. Once I've told you what you want to know, I will absorb you." Cell said now turning to face Piccolo directly once again. Piccolo didn't react. Neither one spoke for a moment.

"You're underestimating your opponent. We'll see who's smiling once I've beaten you." Piccolo finally replied with a grin.

"Such a fighting spirit. I will enjoy absorbing you Piccolo." Cell said as he licked his lips. Piccolo didn't respond, choosing instead to wait for Cell to continue.

"I am an android." Cell volunteered. Piccolo frowned in confusion. An android? Another one? How could this be?

"I was created by Dr. Gero. I am his ultimate creation." Cell smiled as Piccolo clenched his fists in frustration.

"I should have known." He muttered.


	18. Chapter 18

Ch. 18

[At the Lookout]

Gohan stood with Dende and his father, who were staring over the edge of the lookout. He hated that Piccolo had gone down alone. It wasn't right. He felt like they were abandoning him when he was facing their most dangerous opponent. How could his father have let him go on his own? They could have used instant transmission and returned when Trunks and Vegeta were out. Maybe it wasn't too late?

"They're talking." Dende muttered, pulling Gohan out of his thoughts.

"About what?" Goku wanted to know. Gohan peered down into the white fluffy clouds like the other two, waiting for Dende to speak.

"An…android?" He finally said in surprise. Goku looked over at him.

"What about the androids?" He asked.

"Cell. He's an android." Dende shared. Goku ran a hand through his hair.

"Another one? Man oh man, Trunks was way off on this one. Four androids? This is unbelievable." Dende shook his head as he continued to listen.

"There's more." Both saiyans looked incredulously at the small namekian guardian.

"This being…is from the future." Dende said as he scrunched up his face, trying to concentrate hard so as not to miss anything.

"Like Trunks?" Gohan asked.

"Yes. And…ah." A small smile of satisfaction crept onto Dende's face.

"What is it?" Gohan asked.

"The reason we can sense Goku and yourself down there Gohan. It seems that Dr. Gero has been following you guys for years, gathering cells to create this monster." Dende shook his head. How could anyone come up with something like this? It was unheard of on his planet.

"You mean that thing has our cells? What does that mean?" Goku asked in astonishment.

"Well, if I had to guess, I'd say he probably has some of everyone's characteristics Goku. He's got Saiyan cells; so a thirst for battle. He's got Namekian cells; so he's very clever and observant. And he's got human cells as well from the others." Dende said as he thought about it.

Goku felt like the wind had gone out of his lungs. He'd fought many opponents, and he definitely felt the thrill of a challenge, but his worry was about numbers. There were four androids and seven of them. And to be honest, Krillin, Yamcha and Tien were no match for probably three out of four of those androids, if not all four. Not to mention his son's weakened heart and head injury… He knew he couldn't give up hope and had to maintain a brave face for the others, but his usual carefree optimism was absent this time. This time, he felt like they were truly in over their heads.

"Dad?" Gohan watched as his father's face fell into a dark frown. He'd expected his dad to laugh it off, and say something lighthearted but it hadn't happened. He could see that his dad was worried, and Gohan realized that if his dad was worried, then they were in real trouble.

"They're going to fight." Dende said quietly. Gohan turned towards the clouds in panic. He was afraid for his mentor. His fists were clenched as he waited for Dende's next update.

"Piccolo is confident, but this beast is strong." Dende remarked.

"Now that Piccolo has fused with Kami, Piccolo is strong as well." Goku answered.

"He seems thrown off by the attacks Cell is using." Dende said in surprise.

"What kind of attacks?" Goku asked.

"I believe he said, kameha…something." Dende scrunched up his face even more.

"Wait a minute, was it kamehameha?" Goku asked incredulously.

"Yes that's it. And I felt your energy for a moment there." Dende said as he nodded with his eyes closed.

"That's an attack taught by the turtle school. Me, Yamcha and Krillin are the only ones who do that attack. Aside from master Roshi of course." Goku said as he looked at Gohan thoughtfully for a moment. He wondered briefly why he'd never taught it to his son. Something else to do in the time chamber.

"Piccolo is losing." Dende said sadly. Both saiyans stared at the guardian in shock.

"How bad?" Goku asked, prepared to intervene. Gohan looked at his father desperately hoping he would decide they should join Piccolo below.

"Wait, they've stopped." Dende said as he put out his hand. No one spoke for a few moments.

"He's letting Piccolo go." Dende told the saiyans.

"Why would he do that?" Gohan asked in surprise.

"I don't know." Dende said as he opened his eyes and rubbed them.

"For now, let's call this a win." Goku said as he turned away from the clouds.

"Ill keep an eye on him." Dende said with a nod.

"Are you sure you don't need to rest?" Gohan asked as he eyed his friend with scrutiny. Dende looked exhausted.

"I'll be fine. But thank you for the concern Gohan." Dende said kindly. Gohan nodded.

"Gohan, will you let me know when Piccolo gets back?" Goku asked as he ran a hand through his hair deep in thought.

"Sure dad." Gohan answered.

"Thanks." Goku turned and headed towards the lookout, turning down the hall and disappearing out of sight. Gohan wondered where he was headed but decided not to follow. If his dad was coming up with a plan, he didn't want to get in the way.

…

Chichi walked around in amazement, wondering why Goku had never told her how beautiful and peaceful this place was. He'd only mentioned the lookout a couple of times, but had never really described it in detail. There were gardens filled with the most beautiful flowers, and the floor seemed to be made of real marble, just like the sanctuary itself. Everything shined and Chichi was sure you could eat right off the floors. The whole place not only helped to calm her nerves but also felt kind of romantic. Blushing at the thought, Chichi didn't notice someone walking around the corner and ended up slamming into her husband. Though he barely felt a thing, Chichi fell backwards onto her behind with a thud.

"Ouch!" She cried as she hit the floor hard. Goku immediately hurried towards her.

"I'm sorry Chi! I guess I wasn't paying attention." Goku offered Chichi a hand, which she accepted with a frown.

"Goodness Goku you're like a solid wall." She muttered. Goku chuckled as he helped her to her feet.

"Where are you headed?" Goku asked, surprised that she wasn't hovering over their son.

"I was just admiring this place. It's just so beautiful. Gives you a real sense of calm." Chichi smiled as she looked up at the detailed ceiling. Goku smiled back at her.

"You know, you look so beautiful when you're at peace." Goku hadn't meant to say it, but the moment he thought it the words came tumbling out of his mouth. He was relieved when Chichi grinned and blushed.

"That's very sweet of you to say." For a moment the couple just looked at each other, neither one really knowing how to fill the silence. Then Chichi burst out laughing, unable to contain herself.

"Gosh Goku look at us. We're like a pair of newlyweds all over again." Tucking a hair behind her ear, she noticed Goku's expression turn serious for a moment.

"You look like you could use some rest Chichi." Goku said quietly. Chichi immediately felt insulted, until she realized what Goku was implying.

"Here?" She asked him in disbelief.

"Right this way." Goku said as he walked ahead of her. Chichi looked around nervously before following, feeling slightly giddy.

…

Gohan stood beside Dende in silence, wanting to talk to him but not wanting to interfere with his observations on earth. He was about to speak up when he noticed Krillin and Yamcha approaching the lookout. For a moment he relaxed, happy that they had collected all the dragon balls in case something should happen. The dragon balls had become a safety net of sorts, and he always felt safe in the knowledge that if something really bad happened, they could use them to make things right. Maybe there was a way they could wish their enemies away!

"It's nice to see you smile." Dende said, making Gohan jump.

"I was just thinking about the dragon balls." Gohan replied. Dende frowned.

"It will be great to have them, but they won't make our enemies disappear Gohan." Dende told him sadly.

"Maybe there's a way we can phrase the wish so that…"

"No Gohan." Dende shook his head. "The dragon balls don't work that way. They don't take away life, no matter how wicked." Gohan let his shoulders drop.

"Well, maybe we don't have to wish for them to die. Maybe we wish for them to have a decrease in strength so that we can win." Gohan answered. Dende considered this for a moment.

"I suppose we could. But, it's one wish gone and if it doesn't work…" Gohan nodded in agreement. Dende was right; it was a risky move.

"We need an advantage Dende." Gohan told the guardian seriously. Dende turned toward him in concern.

"You're not giving up are you?" He asked his friend fearfully. He'd always known Gohan to be optimistic. This seriousness was out of character for the young saiyan.

"Never. Things are just bad, that's all." Gohan reassured him. Dende smiled in relief, then turned his attention back to earth.

"Things will progress as they will. We just have to prepare ourselves the best we can." He told Gohan. Gohan looked at Dende in awe. He was an incredibly wise guardian for someone so young. He admired his friend's peacefulness, even in the face of danger. Dende saw the situation and didn't become absorbed in it- he looked at things objectively and accepted what was. Instead of wasting energy fighting what was happening, he simply let it happen and used his energy to take action that would lead his planet in the right direction.

"Gohan!" Gohan turned as Krillin and Yamcha touched down.

"Krillin! Did you get all the dragon balls?" Gohan asked as the two approached.

"Yep, got them all here." Krillin said with a smile. Yamcha walked over and passed the bag to Dende.

"Great, I'll have Mr. Popo keep these inside in case we need them." Dende said before walking away to find Mr. Popo.

"Did Piccolo fight with that monster?" Yamcha asked Gohan.

"His name is Cell. They fought, but they've stopped." Gohan took a deep breath before updating the other two on what they'd learned. He watched both fighters frown as they realized the danger they were about to face.

"It's even worse than I thought." Krillin admitted sadly. He rubbed his head in frustration.

"I hate to say it, but we're not going to be much help." Yamcha said, embarrassed.

"Don't say that Yamcha. The more fighters we have, the more chance we have to win." Gohan replied.

"Vegeta and Trunks are still in the chamber?" Krillin asked as the group made their way to the sanctuary.

"Yes. I hope they come out soon." Gohan answered. Arriving at the front steps, Gohan and Krillin sat down while Yamcha looked around.

"Where's your dad Gohan?" Yamcha asked after a moment.

"I'm not sure. He's around here somewhere." Gohan said as he looked around himself.

"Probably coming up with a plan. Goku always has a plan." Krillin said with a smile. Gohan didn't respond. The look on his father's face earlier was stuck in his mind.

"Of course he does. Everything will be fine." Yamcha said as he crossed his arms confidently.

'I sure hope you're right.' Gohan thought to himself as he thought of the poor people below who were disappearing without a trace. Gohan wondered if he should go meet Piccolo and chat with him a bit before he went into the chamber to train. He was about to stand when a noise behind them signalled the arrival of Vegeta and Trunks.

"They're done." Yamcha said as the door behind them swung open.

"I better find my dad." Gohan said as he stood up in excitement.

"Good idea." Krillin answered with his eyes on the door.

…

"Goku where are you going?" Chichi said sleepily from under the covers. Goku smiled as he tied his boots."

"It's time Chichi. I have to go train with Gohan." Chichi immediately sat up alarmed.

"You're just going to train right?" She asked fearfully.

"Yes, I promise. For right now, we're just going to train. We'll be gone a day." He told her as he stood up.

"Be careful Goku. He's been hurt and sick. He might not be as strong as you hope." Chichi said sadly.

"I know. I'll be careful I promise." Goku walked over and gave his wife a quick kiss on the head before walking out. Chichi tenderly touched the spot he'd kissed, wondering just how scared her husband must be. He wasn't usually so affectionate, and though he tried to hide it, she could read him better than he knew.

Goku walked over to the time chamber where the others stood waiting. He was itching to get inside and get started with training. He already had several ideas on what they could work on and he was curious to see where his son was at, considering everything that had happened. He hoped that Vegeta and Trunks had made the most of their training, but something told him they would focus primarily on power, possibly compromising speed. If they were going to beat these guys they were going to need to be at their best.

"Dad, I was just looking for you. Vegeta and Trunks are done." Gohan said as he rounded the corner and saw Goku walking towards him.

"Ya, I can sense them. Are you ready son?" Goku asked seriously. Gohan nodded.

"Yep." Goku smiled and ruffled Gohan's hair as he came up beside him.

"Alright then." Both saiyan's headed to the chamber, where Goku began to feel out Vegeta and Trunks's new power. They were much stronger, that was great to see. But Goku felt like he'd been right. He could get stronger than these two, and he was fairly confident Gohan could too. It would take a lot of hard work, but they could do it. Trunks was the first to walk out of the chamber. Everyone stared at him in awe as he exited with much more power than he'd entered with. And Goku was certain that he was holding back. His clothes were torn and he looked somewhat relieved to be out of the chamber. Immediately Yamcha and Krillin began firing questions at him, to which Trunks smiled modestly and answered vaguely. Goku smirked, like father like son. Trunks wasn't going to give anything away.

Vegeta was the next to exit. Goku could sense that he was stronger than Trunks, but not by that much. He had a smug look on his face like he thought he was now the strongest man alive. This was what made Goku certain that Vegeta hadn't attained the highest level possible. Vegeta's ego was his biggest barrier.

"So what's happening down there you guys." Trunks asked.

"These guys can let you know the details. We'd better head inside for training." Goku answered. He motioned to Gohan who followed him towards the door.

"You guys won't even need it. I'll take care of this." Vegeta said with glee. Goku chuckled with his back to him.

"I wish that were true." Goku said as he walked inside the door and disappeared. Gohan turned and saw the rage on Vegeta's face before he too disappeared behind the door. He couldn't help but giggle as he stepped into the chamber.

…

[In the time chamber]

"So what's the plan dad?" Gohan asked his father upon entering the chamber. Goku looked around at the bunk beds and kitchenette, then looked down at his son. He wondered what it must have been like for him when he entered this place alone for the first time. He remembered his first time well; it had been challenging.

"Dad?" Gohan asked again. Goku frowned.

"Alright, we don't have much time. First things first, we need to master the super saiyan transformation." Goku replied. Gohan looked at him in confusion.

"I thought you had already done that dad." He asked curiously as he sat on one of the bunk beds.

"No. What I did on Yardrat was learn to transform without the rage and strong emotions. That will be your first step here. But as I watched you transform earlier, something occurred to me." Goku explained.

"What's that?" Gohan asked.

"When you transformed, your power level grew substantially, but you also drained yourself of energy by transforming. Though I don't drain myself as much as you, transforming still takes a toll. I want us to be able to transform effortlessly and without losing out on precious energy." Goku said as he looked out towards the back.

"How do we do that?" Gohan asked in wonder.

"I will start right now." Goku said before transforming. Gohan smiled at how effortlessly his father was able to become a super saiyan. He looked forward to it being that easy for him.

"Now, I'm going to stay a super saiyan at all times, except for when I sleep. This way my body will become used to it. I'll no longer need to use up energy to transform. I can instead use that energy for another transformation. It will be hard to maintain at first, but I think it will get easier with time." Goku said as he crossed his arms. Gohan stared into his aqua eyes as he pondered what his father had said.

"Makes sense." He finally answered.

"You need to learn to transform as I did on Yardrat. So that will be your first task. When you complete it, then you can start this training." Goku said as he walked out of the bunker and into the clouded opening. Gohan watched him in silence. His dad always had a plan. No matter how bad things got, his dad could always come up with something. He hoped that one day, he could be a strong warrior like his father, who didn't panic when things got bad.


End file.
